The South Sudan Opposition Alliance (SSOA) has defended the Political Parties Council (PPC) against allegations of abuse of power. SSOA Secretary-General Changkuoth Bichiok Reth stated that seven political parties added to the official register were legitimate alliance members who had substantially completed the registration process before the June 30, 2026 deadline.
Changkuoth rejected allegations by Dr. Lam Akol and Isaac Moro Jenisio that the PPC chairperson arbitrarily added the parties to the register. He described the claims as “false and misleading.” According to Changkuoth, the seven constituent parties were legitimate members of the alliance and had largely completed the registration process before the deadline.
The delay in completing the registration of the seven parties was linked to their previous association with military wings. Changkuoth cited the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS) and the Political Parties Act, 2012, as amended in 2022. These laws prohibit political parties from operating while maintaining independent military command structures.
Changkuoth explained that the seven party leaders relinquished their military commands and surrendered their forces to the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the regular forces in December 2025. This move allowed the parties to proceed with registration as civilian political organizations. The formal relinquishment was publicly announced at the premises of the Ministry of Information and Communication.
Changkuoth further cited Section 26 of the Political Parties Act, which prohibits political parties from establishing military or paramilitary formations. He accused Lam Akol and Isaac Moro of failing to take similar steps to relinquish their military structures. According to Changkuoth, their non-registration is a direct result of their own non-compliance, not an abuse of power by the PPC Chairperson.
Changkuoth urged Dr. Lam Akol and Mr. Isaac Moro to comply with the law by relinquishing their military structures before seeking registration as civilian political organizations. He encouraged them to follow the same lawful path: relinquish their military structures, comply with the applicable legal requirements, and present their factions for registration as civilian political organizations.
Changkuoth also rejected allegations concerning the identity and ownership of the Federal Democratic Party (FDP). He called for clarification of the individual’s legally recognized name and the identification documents under which he is registered. Changkuoth concluded that this matter should not be treated merely as a political argument but fundamentally as a question of official identity and legal documentation.
Key points
- SSOA defends PPC against allegations of abuse of power over registration of seven political parties.
- Seven political parties were registered after relinquishing military commands and surrendering forces to the Supreme Commander-in-Chief.
- SSOA urges Dr. Lam Akol and Isaac Moro to comply with the law by relinquishing their military structures.
