By Newspot Nigeria News Staff
JUBA CITY — In a late-night political maneuver on Wednesday, South Sudanese President Salva Kiir issued a Republican Order reconstituting the High-Level Ad Hoc Committee on the Implementation of the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS), a crucial body overseeing the country’s fragile peace process.
Broadcast on the state-run South Sudan Broadcasting Corporation (SSBC), the announcement named 31 members drawn from various political groupings, including SPLM, National Agenda, Democratic Change, the South Sudan Opposition Alliance (SSOA), SPLM-IO (but not Machar loyalists), and the Other Political Parties (OPP).
The newly reconstituted committee will be chaired by Senior Presidential Advisor Gen. Kuol Manyang Juuk (SPLM), with Lasuba Ludoru Wongo (SPLM-IO) as deputy and Dr. Martin Elia Lomuro (National Agenda) serving as Secretary General.
🔍 Key Mandates of the Committee Include:
- Monitoring implementation of the R-ARCSS (excluding Chapter Two on transitional security)
- Coordinating electoral processes ahead of the planned December 2026 elections
- Engaging stakeholders, including regional and international actors
- Mobilizing resources with the Finance Ministry and partners
- Performing any additional tasks assigned by the Presidency
🚨 Political Undercurrents
Conspicuously absent from the new committee are SPLM/A-IO figures loyal to First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar, who has been under house arrest since March 26, following a deadly incident involving the UN’s failed evacuation mission in Nasir. That incident led to the death of General David Majur Dak and 27 bodyguards, with government forces accusing Machar’s camp of inciting the attack.
The SPLM-IO representatives now listed are mostly aligned with Stephen Par Kuol, the self-declared interim leader of the party and the current Minister for Peacebuilding. Par is viewed by Machar’s allies as a coup plotter and a collaborator in Kiir’s alleged attempt to sideline opposition voices within the peace process.
🗣️ Reactions from Civil Society
In response, CEPO’s Executive Director Edmund Yakani warned that this selective restructuring could erode trust in the peace agreement and plunge the country back into instability.
“The spirit of undermining the R-ARCSS is risky. Downplaying its objectives threatens political stability,” Yakani said. “We urge the new committee to focus on fostering an inclusive, peaceful transition, especially ahead of July 9, 2025.”
He emphasized the need for the committee to organize inclusive stakeholder dialogue to define South Sudan’s political trajectory as the deadline for national elections draws near.
❓ Unclear Future for the NTC
The order did not clarify whether this new body replaces or overlaps with the National Transitional Committee (NTC)—a smaller body also chaired by Gen. Kuol Manyang and tasked with supervising peace deal implementation since January. The dual structures and overlapping leadership risk creating confusion and undermining progress toward the 2026 elections.
As South Sudan approaches a critical phase in its post-conflict roadmap, the latest development signals a deepening political realignment—and potentially a narrowing of space for opposition voices under Kiir’s leadership.
Newspot Nigeria will continue monitoring developments from Juba and report on the implications for South Sudan’s peace, democracy, and regional stability.
