OPP's umbrella group in Yambio to endorse flagbearer for elections

Leader of the Umbrella group within the Other Political Parties (OPP) Peter Mayen Majongdit speaks at the Yambio conference in Wednesday, August 23, 2023. (Radio Tamazuj)

The umbrella group within the Other Political Parties (OPP) has gathered in Yambio town of Western Equatoria State to endorse its flagbearer for the elections slated to take place in December 2024.

The Opposition Political Party (OPP), a party to the 2028 peace agreement, comprises of the Umbrella group and the National Alliance of Political Parties.

The Umbrella group on Wednesday organized a three-day conference with participants from across the 10 states and three administrative areas. The event is held under the theme, “Umbrella Yambio Conference: Democratic Transformation in the 2024 General Elections in South Sudan.”

As part of its agenda, the conference intends to draft resolutions that will guide the trajectory of the 2024 elections. Additionally, the group aims to endorse its chosen flagbearer who will run for the position of president.

Peter Mayen Majongdit, the leader of the People’s Liberal Party (PLP) and head of the Umbrella group, spoke at the inaugural session of the conference. He highlighted the event’s pivotal role as a precursor to the 2024 elections.

Mayen, a former national minister of humanitarian affairs, emphasized the coalition’s united stance to drive change and engender a positive transformation.

“The umbrella of political parties is here to initiate change that will usher in peace and stability to South Sudan. Our goal is to rekindle the people's hope and salvage the future of our nation,” Mayen said.

“It clearly indicates our protection against state-caused suffering of the people of South Sudan, whereby officials of the current government have chosen to deprive the people and ignore their cause of pursuing to live a happy life in their country free of conflict, poverty, diseases, ignorance humiliation and lack of freedom,” he added.

Mayen acknowledged the prevailing sentiment of frustration among the South Sudanese populace due to the existing political landscape. He noted the absence of political will to implement signed peace agreements.

Meanwhile, Simon Parakiti, a member of the Western Equatoria State Legislative Assembly and the chairperson of the umbrella of political parties in the area, expressed the conference’s core objectives. He emphasized that the gathering's primary motive is to foster unity and progress, steering away from division and hatred.

“Our purpose is not to sow discord among our people but to champion peace and unity for the advancement of South Sudan. Peace remains our ultimate aspiration, along with the freedom of every South Sudanese individual,” he said.

The conference garnered substantial attention, attracting observers from a wide spectrum of entities including civil society, SPLM, SPLM-IO, South Sudan Opposition Alliance (SSOA), Former Detainees (FDs), and various United Nations agencies. Notably, representatives from the Western Equatoria State government were also present at the event.