(L-R): Hon. Clement Juma Mbugoniwia, Deputy Chairperson of SSOA; Hon. Ateny Wek Ateny, Minister of ICT and Postal Services; Hon. Hussein Abdelbagi Akol, Minister of Agriculture and SSOA Chairperson; Hon. Changkuoth Bichiok Reth, leader of the FDP splinter faction; and Dr. Gasim Barnaba Kisanga of the NAS Peace Faction. They were addressing a press briefing in Juba on Monday, December 22, 2025, where Abdelbagi announced his resignation as Commander-in-Chief to facilitate the unification of forces. Photo: Awan Moses/Eye Radio

JUBA, South Sudan (Eye Radio) — The Chairman of the South Sudan Opposition Alliance or SSOA, Hussein Abdelbagi Akol, has officially relinquished his military command, placing all his forces and weaponry under the direct authority of President Salva Kiir.

The announcement, made on Monday, December 22, 2025, marks the full and voluntary transition of the South Sudan Patriotic Movement (SSPM) and the broader SSOA military wing from an armed struggle to a legitimate civilian political entity.

“In the supreme interest of the Republic of South Sudan, I inform the nation that all forces under the SSOA, together with their arms, have been fully and voluntarily relinquished,” Abdelbagi declared.

“The future of South Sudan must be determined through ballots, not bullets; through institutions, not armies; and through democratic competition, not military posturing.”

Citing Chapter Two of the Revitalized Peace Agreement (R-ARCSS), Abdelbagi—who also serves as the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security—stated that the move is intended to end “militarized politics.”

By placing his forces under the command of President Kiir, the Commander-in-Chief of the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF), he aims to help establish a single, professional national army.

Abdelbagi issued a firm directive to all SSOA commanders at every level to cooperate with the national command structure and report immediately to designated training and cantonment centers.

He further gave a 10-day ultimatum to constituent parties—including the FDP, SSNMC, NAS, SSUM, and NDM—to submit verified lists of any remaining personnel not captured in earlier integration phases.

The transition signals Abdelbagi’s intent to focus entirely on constitutional order and the upcoming democratic elections. He emphasized that the decision is “irreversible” and serves as a call to other political actors to follow suit.

“South Sudan deserves leadership that puts the nation above faction, peace above personal ambition, and democracy above force,” he said.

Abdelbagi concluded by calling on the international community and peace guarantors to recognize the seriousness of this step, urging them to support the integration process to ensure the peace roadmap moves forward without further delay.

Key leaders in attendance included Hon. Changkuoth Bichiok Reth, head of the Federal Democratic Party (FDP) splinter faction; Dr. Gasim Barnaba Kisanga of the National Salvation Front-Peace (NAS); and Hon. Clement Juma Mbugoniwia, leader of the South Sudan National Movement for Change (SSNMC) and Deputy Chairperson of SSOA.