Onyoti slams Oyet as ‘enemy of peace’ with doubtful loyalty to Machar

JUBA — A senior South Sudanese cabinet minister on Tuesday accused acting SPLM-IO leader Nathaniel Oyet of undermining the country’s fragile stability, describing him as an “enemy of peace” and accusing him of mobilizing armed youth against the government.

The remarks were made by Onyoti Adigo Nyikec, South Sudan’s Minister of Animal Resources & Fisheries, during a welcoming ceremony for Mining Minister Losuba Loduro Wongo, where he said Oyet’s recent political actions amounted to a declaration of war.

Oyet has faced growing criticism within the SPLM-IO over statements and appointments that supporters say have deepened internal divisions, particularly after moves that angered senior military figures and triggered internal confrontations in SPLA-IO-controlled areas, including Unity State.

Detained SPLM-IO leader Riek Machar is reported to have sent a handwritten letter from detention in Juba last week urging Oyet to restrict himself to political party affairs and avoid involvement in military matters, though Oyet has publicly declined to confirm the authenticity of the letter.

Following Machar’s arrest, the SPLM-IO has split into two main camps, with Oyet leading a faction that has declared the 2018 peace agreement defunct, while a rival group led by Stephen Par Kuol has aligned itself with President Salva Kiir’s SPLM-IG.

“There is another group headed by Nathaniel Oyet, who declared war against the people of South Sudan. He is the enemy of peace, and this is not accepted,” Onyoti told the public gathering.

Onyoti said he supports Par Kuol’s faction, describing it as the legitimate political camp backing Machar and prioritizing dialogue over renewed fighting, arguing that peace is essential for national development.

“They chose peace instead of going to war, and we have to appreciate them,” Onyoti said, adding that without peace there would be no mining, irrigation, hospitals or schools, and that Machar himself has not called for a return to conflict.

The minister said President Kiir remains committed to preventing South Sudan from sliding back into civil war, despite political tensions linked to the detention of opposition figures.

“Our President fromt time to time said , ‘I am not going to take South Sudan back to war.’ This will not happen. so, all of us are supporting peace. That we need to have peace,” he said, warning that Oyet’s stance could ultimately leave him isolated and acting independently as a rebel.

Onyoti said the fate of Machar and other detained opposition leaders would be determined through the courts rather than political processes, insisting that legal outcomes would be limited to acquittal or sentencing.

“When you are in court, there are only two options: release if there is no evidence, or sentencing if you are found guilty,” he said, adding that political appointments are temporary and that leaders “can be taken out” at any time.

Turning to the economy, Onyoti highlighted worsening cash shortages in banks and prolonged salary delays affecting civil servants, warning that economic recovery would be impossible without increased production in agriculture, mining and other sectors.

“You go to the bank to withdraw your own money, and they tell you there is no cash,” he said, also calling for an end to corruption in the gold sector.