SSOA Accuses SPLM, Allies of Bypassing Peace Dialogue on Election Laws

By Awan Achiek

The South Sudan Opposition Alliance (SSOA), a coalition of opposition parties, has accused the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) and its allies of bypassing an agreed dialogue process for amending the 2018 peace agreement and laws governing elections.

On Sunday, the group issued a statement asserting that any amendments to key legal and political instruments should have been made by all parties’ signatory to the peace agreement.

The alliance stated that a presidency meeting held on December 10, 2025, established a committee—comprising representatives from ITGoNU, SPLM/A-IO, SSOA, SPLM FDs, and OPP—to address election-related matters and grievances through dialogue.

The group noted that this committee, tasked with initiating consultations among the signatory parties, has not yet convened, describing the changes to the peace agreement and election laws as unilateral.

“However, to date, this body has not met. Despite this, the SPLM-IG and its allies proceeded to amend, unilaterally, the R-ARCSS, the Transitional Constitution of the Republic of South Sudan, and the National Elections Act, the latter of which is currently before the Transitional National Legislature,” the statement read.

The alliance emphasized that the manner in which these amendments have been undertaken is inconsistent with the process agreed upon by the Expanded Meeting of the Presidency.

“The decision was not simply to amend the relevant instruments but to do so through consultation and dialogue among the parties signatory to the R-ARCSS, with the objective of reaching a common understanding on the provisions to be amended and on the matters to be deferred until after the elections,” it stated.

The group argued that this action undermines the spirit of the peace agreement and should not be pursued without consultation among its signatories.

“The unilateral pursuit of these amendments, while the very dialogue mechanism established for this purpose has never convened, undermines the spirit and purpose of the Expanded Meeting of the Presidency’s decision,” the statement continued.

“It also raises serious questions about the value of establishing an inter-party dialogue mechanism if one party can proceed to take decisions on the very matters that the mechanism was established to address.”

The group deemed this move unacceptable, as it affects the 2018 peace pact and the legal framework governing elections, having been undertaken without the agreed participation and consensus of the signatory parties.

“The R-ARCSS is a negotiated political agreement among its signatories. Its implementation, amendment, and interpretation must therefore be approached in accordance with its provisions and through the mechanisms agreed upon by the Parties. Anything outside this framework is not binding,” the statement concluded.

The statement was signed by Josephine Lagu, representing the People’s Democratic Movement; Dr. Costello Garang Ring, deputy head of the alliance; Dr. Lam Akol Ajuen, secretary-general of the alliance; and Dr. Lam Akol Ajuen, head of the National Democratic Movement and deputy coordinator of security affairs.

Other signatories include Julius Tabuley Daniel, head of the National Salvation Front, secretary of information, and official spokesperson; Moro Isaac Genesio, National Salvation Movement of South Sudan, secretary of foreign relations; Cirillo Thon Ring, People’s Democratic Party; and alliance member Tut Jok Luak from the United Democratic Reform Alliance.