IO Party is not a new political organization, says Par’s group

The group associated with Minister of Peacebuilding Stephen Par Kuol has defended the registration of the SPLM (IO) Party, dismissing claims that it is a new party not affiliated to the SPLM/SPLA-IO.

The response follows a statement by the SPLM/A-IO Political Bureau, which said the registration of the IO Party “has nothing to do with SPLM/SPLA (IO)” and alleged that Stephen Par Kuol and his colleagues had defected from the movement.

However, in a press statement issued on Thursday, the Juba-based SPLM (IO) National Committee for Information and Communication said the registration should not be interpreted as the creation of a new political organisation.

“The registration of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement SPLM (IO) Party should not be misunderstood as the creation of a new political organization,” the statement reads.

“It is the formal registration of the political wing of the SPLM/A (IO) under the Political Parties Act, 2012 (as amended), allowing the Movement to participate lawfully and fully in South Sudan’s democratic process.”

The committee said the registration does not affect the movement’s legal continuity, identity, membership, structures or obligations under the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS).

It further maintained that the SPLM (IO) remains a principal signatory to the peace agreement.

“Nothing in the Political Parties Act provides that the registration of a political party creates a different political entity, extinguishes an existing liberation movement, terminates obligations arising under the Peace Agreement, or removes a party from the R-ARCSS,” the statement said.

The committee added that registration is a legal requirement for participation in the general elections scheduled for December 22, 2026, and “does not alter the Movement’s identity, continuity, or the R-ARCSS.”

It urged members, supporters and the public to disregard what it described as misinformation surrounding the registration of the SPLM (IO) Party.