Defections Rock Western Equatoria
Political tremors shook Yambio after reports that four senior SPLM-IO figures shifted allegiance to President Salva Kiir’s SPLM-IG.
Local observers say the surprise realignment unsettled an already fragile coalition government formed under the 2018 Revitalised Peace Agreement.
Order No. 01/2025 Reshapes Local Power
Deputy Governor Justin Joseph Marona signed Order No. 01/2025, terminating the mandates of Rubben Amaai, Lino Fataki, John Mirihewari and John Nambazia.
“You cannot serve two masters,” an aide commented, arguing that official posts allotted to SPLM-IO cannot be retained after crossing party lines.
Peace Deal Power-Sharing Tested
The dismissed positions—two county commissioners, Yambio’s mayor and a state lawmaker—were granted to SPLM-IO under the peace agreement’s quota system.
Marona pledged that replacements will be chosen strictly within the accord, avoiding a vacuum that might slow local service delivery.
Strategic Reset or Internal Cleanup?
Analysts frame the sackings as both a deterrent to further defections and a strategy to consolidate party discipline before the next electoral cycle.
Residents interviewed in Yambio voiced cautious optimism that decisive leadership could stabilise county administrations if appointments proceed swiftly.
Voices From the Ground
A community leader in Nzara said, “People care less about party labels than about roads and clinics. We need officials who stay focused.”
Whether the reshuffle narrows factional rifts or deepens them will depend on how transparently new officials integrate into local governance.