A civil society activist has criticized politicians in Eastern Equatoria State for continuous defection ahead of the general elections, terming it as a ‘political confusion and waste of time’.
There have been reports of defections from the opposition parties to the ruling SPLM of late.
In August 2023, a senior member of the SPLM-IO, Solomon Imura, declared exit from the party to join SPLM-IG. He was followed by several politicians.
Just this month, Anthony Feremato, former chairperson of the National Congress Party, joined SPLM in order to, he said, participate in the nation-building.
Commenting on these defections, executive director of Peace Link Foundation – Charles Okulu – thinks defection just 16 months to the elections is a bad idea.
‘It’s going to create a very bad image to your party. Why are you leaving your party right now for another party? That’s suspicion,” Okulu said in an interview with Singaita FM on Wednesday.
The activist believes that those who are abandoning their opposition parties are “vulnerable” and had nothing to offer for their communities in the first place.
“Such kind of transfers demonstrate vulnerability, because you are unable to stand up for your own people,” he argued. “You have just gone there for the sake of money, resources that you want for your own benefit.”
The first-ever general elections have been scheduled for December 2024.