FORMER AGWELEK FACTION PLEDGES FULL ALLEGIANCE TO THE SPLM
August 8, 2026
The Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) officially welcomed hundreds of members from the Agwelek-Kitgwang faction into the party during a landmark ceremony held at the SPLM House.
Organized by the SPLM National Secretariat under the theme “United we stand, divided we fall,” the event marked a vital milestone in ongoing national political dialogue aimed at fostering unity of purpose ahead of the upcoming general elections.
Speaking at the historic gathering, SPLM First Deputy Chairman Cde. Prof. James Wani Igga greeted the new members, urging them to feel at home in their mother party. Emphasizing the significance of the moment, Professor Igga called for sustained peace, unity, and open dialogue across the political spectrum, while firmly denouncing violence as the nation prepares for the electoral process.
The integration follows a series of continuous engagements initiated in early 2024 between party leadership and faction representatives.
SPLM Secretary General Cde. Dr. Akol Paul Kordit noted that the SPLM is fully prepared for the upcoming elections, describing the influx of new members as a substantial boost to the movement’s grassroots strength.
The event also featured addresses from Presidential Advisor Hon. Cde. Tut Gatluak, who encouraged the new members to fully support the Chairman and President of the Republic H.E. Cde. Salva Kiir Mayardit and embrace lasting peace, and Upper Nile SPLM Chairperson and Governor H.E. Cde. James Koang Chuol, commended local communities for their unwavering commitment to stability.
In a significant concluding development, former Agwelek leader Cde. Lt. Gen. Johnson Olony Thubo formally declared his full allegiance to the SPLM and rescinded his faction's separate identity.
Party leadership emphasized that joining the SPLM is an individual decision. Leaders of the former Agwelek-Kitgwang faction have individually and formally joined the party through membership affairs and registration, prompting the party to issue a call for all SPLM members nationwide to register.
The SPLM leadership reaffirmed its ongoing commitment to reaching out to remaining opposition figures and groups, with the overarching goal of promoting peace and reconciliation as the nation head into December General Elections.