South Sudan political parties disarm—that is the new order from Vice President Dr Benjamin Bol Mel. He issued the directive last week, targeting armed political groups and signaling a push to revive the country’s stalled peace process.
Dr Mel spoke during his installation as deputy leader of the ruling Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM). He called on all parties to dismantle their private militias and align with the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF). Any party maintaining a military wing, he said, will not participate in the peace process or the December 2026 elections.
“No political party should control a militia or follow a self-proclaimed commander-in-chief,” said Dr Mel. “This behavior undermines democracy and must stop immediately.”
While he avoided naming parties, observers believe his remarks aimed at coalition partners like the SPLM in Opposition (SPLM-IO). Dr Riek Machar leads the group, and authorities placed him under house arrest on March 26 over links to a White Army militia rebellion.
Currently, South Sudan recognizes 29 political parties. However, any group with armed forces cannot register under the 2022 Political Parties (Amendment) Act. The law bans both overt and covert military formations within political organizations.
Besides SPLM-IO, several other factions maintain armed wings. These include the National Salvation Front (NAS), led by Gen Thomas Cirillo, and the South Sudan United Front (SSUF), headed by Gen Paul Malong. The SPLM-IO Kitgwang faction, led by Simon Gatwech Dual, also operates independently. Former Agwelek militia commander Johnson Olony controls another force.
Despite this, President Salva Kiir has managed to bring some leaders on board. In January 2025, Olony disbanded his militia and joined the government. He now serves as Assistant Chief of Defence Forces, overseeing mobilisation. The government appointed Gen Dual as SSPDF deputy commander-in-chief in February.
Dr Mel’s directive reflects Kiir’s strategy to integrate or neutralize armed groups. However, critics warn that this may sideline the 2018 peace deal, officially called the Revitalised Agreement for the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS). Chapter 2 of the deal outlines the cantonment, disarmament, and reorganization of all forces.
Despite the agreement, implementation has been slow. Only 53,000 of 83,000 unified forces have graduated. Many face months without pay, inadequate shelter, poor medical support, and no proper uniforms or weapons. Just last week, nearly 800 SSPDF soldiers abandoned their posts in Nasir. They cited harsh conditions and forced recruitment.
Soldiers also protested unequal pay. The government offers Ugandan soldiers $700, while SSPDF troops remain unpaid. Meanwhile, both the SPLM and SPLM-IO accuse each other of blocking the security arrangements.
SPLM-IO spokesperson Puok Both Baluang defended their position. He said Machar’s forces have waited over six years in cantonment sites with no food, shelter, or medical care. He believes government delays are intentional.
Former diplomat John Andruga Duku disagreed. He claimed Machar sent unarmed men to cantonment areas, making verification impossible. “How can peace monitors confirm soldiers without weapons?” Duku asked. He argued that many weapons remained with Gen Dual’s forces in Upper Nile.
Duku also criticized international monitors like CTSAMVM, RJMEC, and IGAD. He believes they failed to hold Machar accountable for breaching the peace deal.
In early May, RJMEC released a report confirming no progress in deploying forces. The Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR) also stalled after validation in December 2024. IGAD Secretary Dr Gebeyehu Workneh admitted that key peace structures, including the Joint Defence Board, are no longer functional.
As a result, the 2026 elections face serious doubt. Without full implementation of the peace agreement, observers question whether South Sudan can deliver credible polls. With Olony and Dual now working with Kiir’s government, the spotlight turns to Machar, Cirillo, and Malong. They must either disarm or risk exclusion from the political process.
