(JUBA) – The National Democratic Movement–Patriotic Front (NDM–PF) has accused President Salva Kiir of lacking genuine intent and patriotic commitment to dialogue with opposition groups, including those that did not sign the 2018 Revitalised Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS).
President Kiir, while addressing the National Legislature in Juba on Wednesday, made a public appeal for dialogue with holdout opposition groups to promote peace and unity in the country. However, the NDM-PF issued a strongly worded statement on Thursday through its Secretary General, Pasquale Clement Nyakang, criticising the President’s remarks as insincere and politically motivated.
Nyakang said that although dialogue is important for resolving national crises peacefully, it must go beyond words and focus on the root causes of the conflict.
“Dialogue is indeed a noble path. But our people are tired of repeated speeches that lack any commitment to action,” he stated.
He pointed to the collapse of the R-ARCSS, signed in 2018, blaming its failure on President Kiir’s alleged refusal to implement key provisions.
“The agreement has collapsed because of President Kiir’s persistent resistance and lack of good faith. Even Vice President Dr. Riek Machar and other SPLM-IO leaders remain under effective house arrest, and the security arrangements have been violated beyond repair,” he wrote.
On the specific issue of engaging with holdout groups, Nyakang argued that President Kiir’s record contradicts his appeal. Since 2020, Juba has been in negotiations with the South Sudan Opposition Movement Alliance (SSOMA) under the Rome peace initiative led by the Community of Sant’Egidio. According to the NDM-PF, the government later abandoned those talks.
The statement also pointed to the recent collapse of the Tumaini peace initiative in Nairobi, which NDM-PF claims Juba walked away from. “President Kiir and his allies continue to portray the opposition as unwilling to talk, when in fact it is the government that has repeatedly disrupted peace initiatives,” the party claimed.
The NDM-PF called on the government to demonstrate serious intent if it truly wants peace, stating that such sincerity must be shown through meaningful participation in negotiations and respect for existing agreements.
| Peace Initiative Timeline | Status According to NDM-PF |
|---|---|
| R-ARCSS (2018) | Collapsed due to bad faith |
| Rome Talks (2020–2024) | Government walked out |
| Tumaini Initiative (2025) | Government withdrew |
The opposition group concluded that a constructive and lasting peace in South Sudan will only be possible if the government is willing to address the structural causes of conflict and engage in transparent and sincere dialogue.
This growing mistrust between government and opposition threatens to undermine progress towards peace, at a time when many in South Sudan are calling for stability ahead of long awaited elections.
