Pibor’s Yau Yau joins SPLM
January 12, 2016 (JUBA) – Former chief administrator of Greater Pibor Administrative Area (GPAA), David Yau Yau, has abandoned his South Sudan Democratic Movement (SSDM) Cobra Faction to join the ruling party of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) in order to participate in the power sharing drawn from the peace agreement the government signed with opposition factions.
“As of today, 11th January 2016 in Juba, Monday onwards, we have become members fully in the SPLM,” said Yau Yau.
“We are ready to participate, we are ready to partake, we are ready to share (power) and we are ready to contribute to the development in South Sudan,” said the former rebel commander.
President Salva Kiir dropped Yau Yau last month from the newly created Buma state leadership and instead appointed Baba Bedan Konyi as governor for the new state transformed from GPAA.
Tension increased in Pibor area with Yau Yau loyalists claiming that the population was disappointed by appointment of Konyi. President Kiir hosted a meeting for two days early last week in the State House to dialogue with members of the Murle tribe – one led by Yau Yau and another faction by the new governor Konyi.
Yau Yau attempted to join the SPLM before appointment of the new governors was announced last month in a bid to take the job but the process was delayed, SPLM sources told Sudan Tribune.
“So fully we are SPLM members, and we are SPLA, especially the military part,” Yau Yau told reporters after holding a closed door meeting with SPLM top political officials in Juba.
His military wing, the Cobra Faction, was integrated into South Sudan army, the SPLA, in accordance with the May 2014 peace agreement. Yau Yau, a former Bible student with no military background before, has been made a military general, only five years after forming his armed rebellion in Jonglei state in 2010 following defeat in local elections. He accused the SPLM of electoral fraud.
SPLM secretary for political affairs, Antipas Nyok, received Yau Yau on Monday in the national secretariat.
“We are very grateful that today comrade David Yau Yau is here with all the political and military leaders who were there with him in the Cobra Faction, and they have declared their full intention of joining the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) under the leadership of Comrade General Salva Kiir Mayardiit,” said Nyok.
Reporters were not allowed to ask questions during the press briefing and it remained unclear what new role Yau Yau may be playing in the party or government.
(ST)