SPLM-IO Women League elects their chairperson
December 23, 2015 (ADDIS ABABA) – A newly established Women League in the armed opposition faction of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM-IO) under the leadership of the first vice-president designate, Riek Machar, has elected its first chairperson in the movement.
Sophia Pal Gai, former secretary for administration in the national secretariat of the ruling SPLM in Juba before the 2013 crisis, has been endorsed by the opposition’s Women League to head the political institution in a meeting which took place in Pagak, the headquarters of the SPLM-IO.
“This is a commendable democratic exercise by the Women League. The Movement commends them for democratically electing their chairperson,” James Gatdet Dak, spokesman of the opposition leader, confirmed to Sudan Tribune.
He also said earlier, the Women League in a meeting endorsed Sandra Bona Malual to the position of chairperson of the national committee for Gender and Women Empowerment, a broader institution in the Movement which corresponds to the national ministry of Gender and Social Welfare in government.
Dak also said the opposition’s Youth League unanimously reconfirmed Puot Kang Chol as their chairman. Chol was appointed last year to head the body.
The opposition group has established itself as a separate organized faction of the ruling SPLM, pending completion of the reunification process of the three factions which include the SPLM in government led by president Salva Kiir and and former detainees led by former secretary general, Pagan Amum.
(ST)