(JUBA) – President Salva Kiir of South Sudan has called on senior officials of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) to reform the ruling party and reconnect with ordinary citizens, as it faces growing criticism over its identity, performance and internal cohesion.
Originally a liberation movement that led South Sudan to independence from Sudan in 2011, the SPLM has struggled to transition into a modern political force. While its armed wing, the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA), was integrated into what is now the South Sudan Defence Forces, the political party has experienced repeated splits and internal disputes.
Several factions have broken away from the original SPLM over the years, including the SPLM-In Opposition (SPLM-IO) led by Riek Machar. The SPLM-IO continues to pose a political and military challenge to Kiir’s leadership. In 2018, a peace agreement brokered by the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) brought SPLM-IO and other groups into a fragile coalition government. However, tensions remain high.
This week, President Kiir appointed Prof Paul Logale Jumi as the new secretary general of the SPLM and tasked him with revitalising the party to better reflect the country’s current political realities.
At the swearing-in ceremony on Tuesday, Kiir said: “The future of the SPLM rests on engaging and empowering South Sudan’s youth and women. They must not be left on the sidelines.”
Since the outbreak of civil war in 2013, at least nine splinter movements have emerged from the SPLM. These include the Real-SPLM, led by Pagan Amum, and the SPLM-DC, initially headed by Dr Lam Akol, which later became the National Democratic Movement (NDM). Other groups, such as the South Sudan Opposition Alliance (SSOA), also signed the 2018 peace agreement.
Meanwhile, the South Sudan Opposition Movements Alliance (SSOMA), a coalition of factions that rejected the peace deal, has recently rebranded itself as the United People’s Alliance (UPA). The UPA had been engaged in negotiations with the government through the Tumaini peace talks in Nairobi, though those discussions have since stalled. The National Salvation Front (NAS), led by General Thomas Cirillo, remains active in armed opposition.
Dr Benjamin Bol Mel, Vice President in charge of the Economic Cluster, echoed Kiir’s remarks, saying the SPLM still holds symbolic weight for many South Sudanese, but must act to regain the public’s trust.
A new challenge for the SPLM comes from South Sudan’s Political Parties Council (PPC), which has begun enforcing a law that prohibits political organisations from using names that are identical or closely similar. The PPC oversees the registration and regulation of political parties under the 2012 Political Parties Act, revised in 2022.
Riek Machar’s spokesman, Puok Both, responded to Kiir’s call for reforms by stating that SPLM-IO is now operating independently. He added that all parties using “Sudan” in their names are required to adopt new names in order to comply with registration rules.
“The political parties law has prohibited all parties, including our party (SPLM-IO), from using a foreign name like ‘Sudan People’s Liberation Movement’,” said Both. “We are no longer part of Sudan.”
Relations between SPLM-IG and SPLM-IO remain tense. Since March 2025, Riek Machar has been under house arrest after being accused of encouraging youth militia activity in Unity State. The armed group, known as the White Army, has reportedly caused unrest in the region. President Kiir has ignored calls by international actors to release Machar, prompting concerns that the extended transitional period could unravel. South Sudan’s first general elections are scheduled for 2026.
The SPLM has also been criticised for failing to deliver on governance, economic reform, and public services. Many citizens now view the party as disconnected from grassroots needs and driven by elite interests.
A 2023 survey by PeaceRep, an organisation monitoring post-conflict transitions, found that fewer than half of South Sudanese respondents identified SPLM as the party with the best vision for the country’s future. This marked a sharp decline from 2011, when a poll by the International Republican Institute (IRI) showed 84 percent support for SPLM.
President Kiir has also begun quietly preparing a succession plan, with growing speculation that Dr Benjamin Bol Mel is being positioned to take over. This has caused concern among long-serving SPLM members, who include Awet Akot, Kuol Manyang, Nhial Deng, and former vice-president James Wani Igga. These senior figures had been instrumental in consolidating Kiir’s leadership following the death of SPLM founder Dr John Garang in 2005.
Since February 2025, Kiir has removed several prominent officials from their positions in the party. These include Santo Malek Anai (Political Affairs), Bol Makueng Yol (External Affairs), Kuong Danhier Gatluak (Defence and Security), Peter Lam Both (former Secretary General) and General Akech Tong Aleu (intelligence chief).
The SPLM’s current crisis mirrors challenges faced by other African liberation movements that transitioned into ruling parties but struggled with governance and legitimacy. These include KANU in Kenya, UNIP in Zambia, the UPC in Uganda, ZAPU in Zimbabwe, and Ethiopia’s EPRDF. Among them, only Tanzania’s CCM has retained full control, while South Africa’s ANC has had to form a coalition after losing its parliamentary majority in 2024.
