Disputed SPLM Primaries Exacerbate Tensions in Greater Pibor

Tensions are escalating in the Greater Pibor Administrative Area over the ruling Sudan People's Liberation Movement's primary elections. A faction of party delegates has accused the election management team of bias and favouritism. The SPLM has been conducting nationwide party restructuring and candidate nominations in preparation for the December general elections. The process in Greater Pibor, led by Nadia Arop Dudi, a member of the SPLM Political Bureau, was suspended on Friday due to technical challenges.

A group of senior SPLM cadres has expressed opposition to Nadia's leadership of the high-level delegation overseeing the primaries, citing a lack of impartiality. They accuse the SPLM Congress Organising Committee in Greater Pibor of favouring one candidate and colluding with the caretaker chief administrator to secure victory for its preferred candidate. This group includes prominent figures such as former deputy chief administrator Joseph John Abulla and Hakim Ngandonyo Ngache.

The disputed primaries have led to allegations of intimidation and exclusion. Joseph Logelo, a delegate from Likuangole, claims that 21 elected delegates from his area were deliberately prevented from participating in the nomination of the GPAA SPLM chairperson. He also questions the neutrality of Beko Konyi, a former SPLM state secretary-general, accusing him of supporting former chief administrator Gola Boyoi Gola.

The group of dissenting delegates has called on the SPLM National Secretariat to replace the election management team, including Nadia, Konyi, and caretaker chief administrator Joseph Boyoi Ngare, with a neutral and independent committee. They argue that this is necessary to ensure a credible process. Korok Logelo, a delegate from Jebel Boma County, alleges that the committee is seeking to replace delegates with individuals loyal to Gola, who is seeking a position in the party's internal elections.

The situation in Greater Pibor has led to humanitarian concerns, with 21 delegates from Jebel Boma County reportedly stranded in Pibor town without food or shelter. Korok Logelo claims that they were intimidated and threatened after being removed from a plane, allegedly due to their perceived disloyalty to Gola Boyoi. The delegates have called for a fresh electoral process to ease tensions in the area.

The SPLM National Secretariat has yet to respond to the allegations and calls for intervention. Nadia Arop Dudi, Beko Konyi, and GPAA Information Minister Jacob Werchum were not immediately available for comment. In a previous interview, Werchum stated that the GPAA government had been facilitating SPLM activities, but the programme was affected by technical challenges related to the election process.

The disputed primaries have significant implications for the SPLM and the upcoming general elections in South Sudan. The party's ability to conduct free and fair elections will be crucial in maintaining its legitimacy and stability in the region. The situation in Greater Pibor will require close monitoring to ensure that the electoral process is conducted in a transparent and impartial manner.

Key points

• The SPLM primaries in Greater Pibor have been suspended due to technical challenges and allegations of bias.
• A group of senior SPLM cadres has called for the replacement of the election management team with a neutral and independent committee.
• The situation has led to humanitarian concerns, with delegates stranded in Pibor town without food or shelter.