Sudantribune.com: SPLM Juba faction leadership sets date for extraordinary convention

December 4, 2015 (JUBA) - The leadership of the faction of South Sudan’s governing Sudan People’s liberation Movement (SPLM) allied to president Salva Kiir announced on Friday a plan to hold the first extraordinary convention after it has been repeatedly delayed.

South Sudan President an SPLM chairman Salva Kiir speaks during the inauguration of the new SPLM premises in Juba on 15 November 2013 (Photo Moses Lomayat)

“I am hereby informing the SPLM membership and public that there will be first SPLM Extraordinary convention from 12th -14th December 2015,” Bol Makueng, secretary for information, culture and communications announced on Friday.

Makueng, who serves as the deputy minister of education in the government, said the venue of the conference will be at Nyakuron Culture Centre in the national capital, Juba, and the agenda of the convention will be the passing of the SPLM’s basic documents.

These basic documents, he said, are the constitution, manifesto, rules and regulations. The official explained that “invitation letters are on the way to the invited people.”

He did not clarify whether the extraordinary convention will be attended by all representatives of the three factions of the SPLM in accordance with the reunification agreement which the parties had signed in the Tanzanian town of Arusha last year, or only the faction allied to president Salva Kiir will convene the meeting despite the absence of the secretary general of the ruling party, Pagan Amum Okiech, and members of the SPLM in Opposition led by the former party’s first deputy chairman, Riek Machar.

It is also unclear whether the former detainees who have returned with Rebecca Nyandeng, wife of late John Garang de Mabior, founding leader of the SPLM, will participate in the meeting and discussions.

The Arusha reunification agreement is not complete as the factions need to agree on the way forward in regards to the basic documents of the ruling party.