South Sudan rebel delegation in Tanzania for talks with ruling party

October 12, 2014 (ADDIS ABABA) – A high-level delegation of the opposition faction of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM-in-Opposition) is in Tanzania for talks with the East African country’s ruling party, the Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM).

The delegation led by the former South Sudanese minister of higher education, professor Peter Adwok Nyaba, who now leads the reorganisation process of the party in the rebel-controlled areas, left Addis Ababa for Dodoma on Sunday.

In a press release issued on Sunday by the spokesman of the SPLM-In-Opposition in the office of the chairman, James Gatdet Dak, the visit came in response to invitation by the Tanzania’s ruling party.

“SPLM delegation led by Comrade Professor Peter Adwok Nyaba is in Tanzania for talks on experience sharing with the Tanzanian ruling party, the Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM),” Dak said in the statement.

He said SPLM-Juba under the leadership of president Salva Kiir was also invited so that the two factions of the South Sudan’s ruling party can share ideas with CCM.

“The gathering will mainly center on the necessity for a strong political party in South Sudan. This is about SPLM unification and transition in order to unite the people and usher in development,” he added.

Dak however said SPLM-Juba delegation had not yet arrived in Tanzania by press time on Sunday.

Founded in 1977, CCM is the dominant ruling party in Tanzania following the merger of Tanganyika African National Union (TANU) and Afro-Shirazi Party (ASP) which were the sole operating parties in Tanzania mainland and the semi-autonomous islands of Zanzibar, respectively.

The party is led by president Jakaya Kikwete who won elections twice in 2005 and 2010 with experience in peaceful transitions of leaderships.

Since the restoration of multi-party system, CCM has continued to retain its popularity and the voter’s confidence, having won all the past four general elections in 1995, 2000, 2005 and 2010.

Other ruling parties in South Africa and Ethiopia had also made similar separate attempts in vain to bridge the gap between the SPLM factions.

The ruling party in South Sudan split in mid-December last year when political debates turned violent, plunging the new country into a deadly civil war that has threatened to divide the communities along tribal lines.

Observers said in order for SPLM to restore peace and unite the people there is need first to stop the war and reunite its ranks and file.

The nearly ten month old crisis has killed tens of thousands of people and displaced over 1.5 million others.

(ST)