The leadership of the South Sudan Opposition Alliance (SSOA), under the chairmanship of Hon. Hussein Abdelbagi Akol, has dismissed a recent response issued by a faction led by H.E. Josephine Joseph Lagu
The leadership of the South Sudan Opposition Alliance (SSOA), under the chairmanship of Hon. Hussein Abdelbagi Akol, has dismissed a recent response issued by a faction led by H.E. Josephine Joseph Lagu, describing it as misleading and politically desperate following the faction’s formal disownment from the alliance.
In a press statement released on Thursday, SSOA said the Josephine-led group no longer holds any legitimate authority within the alliance, stressing that its leadership mandate expired years ago in accordance with the SSOA Charter. The Charter, the alliance emphasized, provides for a rotational chairpersonship limited to six months, with no provision for mandate renewal.
According to the statement, Josephine Joseph Lagu assumed the chairpersonship in 2020 and her term expired the same year. SSOA noted that continued claims to the position amount to a violation of the Charter and lack any legal or institutional basis.
The alliance also rejected claims that the silence of some SSOA leaders in previous years validated the prolonged leadership of the faction. It said such silence was an act of political restraint aimed at preserving unity, not an endorsement of what it termed a “power grab.”
SSOA accused the disowned faction of prioritizing personal power over institutional rules, arguing that its reaction focused on rhetoric and media theatrics rather than addressing the alleged Charter violations.
“The decision to disown the Josephine faction was lawful and necessary to protect the Charter and prevent the personalization of SSOA,” the statement read, adding that any further statements from the faction should be regarded as private political opinions without standing within the alliance.
The leadership reaffirmed its commitment to political stability, national unity, and the full implementation of the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS). It also reiterated its support for the demilitarization of politics and the promotion of peace and security across the country.
The statement was issued on behalf of the SSOA leadership.
