Kiir praises SPLM unity

January 11, 2016 (JUBA) –President Kiir also praised the unity of his ruling SPLM party after signing its basic documents in Juba over the weekend, saying there is a “new tune and spirit of unity.”

The SPLM delegates at the extraordinary convention adopted the constitution and manifesto that incorporated the Arusha Reunification Agreement. The accord signed in Tanzania in January 2015 denied President Kiir powers to nominate 5% of the delegates to national convention and ensured that votes in the SPLM shall be by secret ballot as opposed to the traditional show of hands.

“Today [Saturday] when you leave this hall, I want you to speak a new language and a new tune so that we come together,” he said.

The extraordinary convention was boycotted by both the armed opposition faction, SPLM-IO, and former political detainees, SPLM-FDs, but their representatives, Taban Deng Gai and Deng Alor Kuol, respectively, attended the opening and closing ceremony on Thursday and Saturday.

Also, the SPLM extraordinary convention adopted a new flag for the party with red as the official colour for the party.

President Kiir insisted that the outcome of the convention was binding over all members of the SPLM in government, SPLM IO and former detainees, despite the boycott by the two opposition factions.

“These outcomes have given me new energy, inspiration and dedication to serve our people with the knowledge that I have a solid support from you,” Kiir said.
Bol Makueng, the SPLM information secretary and deputy minister of education in the national government, said the “SPLM factions are now united again.”

“There is no more FDs (former detainees) and IOs (SPLM in Opposition). We are one party for one nation once again,” said Makueng.

However, other SPLM factions said reunification was not yet achieved, saying there is need to revisit the Arusha agreement and to collectively work on the basic documents.

(ST)