South Sudan President Salva Kiir (right) with First Vice President Riek Machar during the latter's swearing-in ceremony at the State House in Juba on February 22, 2020. PHOTO | AFP
This past week has been marked by political tension between President Salva Kiir and First Vice President Dr Riek Machar, whose Sudan People's Liberation Movement-In Opposition (SPLM-IO) has withdrawn from the Ceasefire and Transitional Security Arrangements Monitoring Mechanism (CTSAMM) accusing the Kiir side of violating the ceasefire.
SPLM-IO also rejected President Kiir’s recent directive on the formation of a unified military command structure and called for a delay in the 2023 election since the September 2018 peace agreement was lagging behind schedule as crucial provisions of the peace deal remain unimplemented.
