By Kei Emmanuel Duku
Opposition leaders in Uganda have condemned recent violence in South Sudan and called for the release of First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar.
Dr. Machar was put under house arrest last Wednesday after he was suspected of having a direct link to the white army militia in Upper Nile State and Akobo.
Fungaroo Kaps Hassan, Deputy President of the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) and former Member of Parliament for Obongi District expressed deep concern over Dr. Machar’s alleged house arrest and the escalating violence that has led to the deployment of Ugandan military forces in South Sudan.
In an official statement released via the party’s social media, Hassan attributed the current crisis to a “complex history” marked by decades of conflict, political instability, and ethnic tensions.
He cited the fragile 2018 Revitalized Peace Agreement (R-ARCSS) as facing significant challenges.
“The removal of Gen. Alfred Futuyo, the former governor of Western Equatoria State, and the SSPDF’s attempts to arrest him, which resulted in gunfire at his Yambio residence and forced his flight, are key factors,” the statement read.
Adding to the tension, President Salva Kiir dismissed Health Minister Yolanda Awel Deng, a member of Dr. Machar’s SPLM-IO party, shortly after Gen. Futuyo’s removal.
Hassan argued that these actions exacerbated tensions between President Kiir’s SPLM and Dr. Machar’s SPLM-IO, triggering unrest in Western Equatoria, which subsequently spread to Western Bahr el Ghazal and Upper Nile states.
Last week, opposition leaders accused the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF) of colluding with the Ugandan military to bomb their cantonment sites in Rajaf, Aswa, and Wunalit. These allegations remain unconfirmed by army spokespersons.
The FDC vice president asserted that the presence of Ugandan troops in South Sudan does not support the peace agreement but rather favors one side of the conflict.
He condemned the alleged SSPDF attack on a cantonment site in Western Equatoria on February 12, 2025, during a “violent pursuit” of former Governor Karaba, whose whereabouts are unknown.
Hassan called for direct dialogue between President Kiir and Dr. Machar to resolve the escalating political and military tensions.
He suggested that the UN Peacekeeping Mission’s mandate be transformed into a full Peace Enforcement Mission as the only viable path to lasting peace.
“As FDC, we do not support the deployment of the Ugandan military in South Sudan. Instead, the world should support South Sudan’s peace process by fully implementing the 2018 Peace Agreement,” he stated.
He reiterated the demand for the release of Dr. Riek Machar and all other opposition leaders and military officials detained in connection with the recent violence.