President Yoweveri Museveni and representatives of the three SPLM factions in the first May, 2017 meeting in Kampala, Uganda. PHOTO//President Museveni facebook page

The Acting SPLM Secretary General says the second meeting of the party factions in Kampala to discuss reunification has been postponed until next month due to the absence of Dr. Riek Machar or his representatives in Entebbe.

Jemma Nunu Kumba did not mention the reasons for the group’s absence, but according to media reports, Dr Riek said his side was invited on a short notice.

Dr. Machar -in a public letter to President Museveni written on June 15 -said he was not in position to attend the consultation meeting in Entebbe due to the nature of his “confinement and detention” in South Africa.

He said such intervention, to invite him, by Museveni would definitely take time for him to travel to Uganda.

Jemma Nunu told the press, the meeting was adjourned to next month.

“Dr. Riek did not send his delegation for some reasons he stated. They decided to adjourn the meeting pending the participation of the delegation of Dr. Riek, and it will again take place on the 13^th of July,” Nunu said.

For his part, Dr. Dhieu Mathok, who represented the SPLM-IO under Taban Deng, also confirmed that the meeting was postponed to give more time for Dr. Riek’s group to take part in the next meeting.

However, he warned that any other group that will not participate in the meeting next month will not be excused.

“We feel that it is really important because we want to unite the house of SPLM. We don’t want to give excuse to those who have their own agenda,” said Mathok.

“It is important actually to give chance to Dr. Riek’s group and the other SPLM cadres who believes they want to be part of the process,” he added.

Last month, the delegations of the three groups- the former political detainees led by Pagan Amum, the SPLM team headed by Nunu Kumba, and the SPLM-IO by Ezekiel Lol Gatkuoth – met in Kampala.

The meeting, facilitated by Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, was held on the request of President Salva Kiir.

“This is part of the confidence building initiatives and measures aimed at reviving the SPLM/A reconciliation and also reviving the sustainable implementation of the Addis Ababa peace agreements,” President Museveni’s aide, Betty Bigombe wrote in a letter to Dr. Machar last week.

The groups intended to make a follow up of the previous meeting and develop a road-map for the implementation of the Arusha Agreement to reunite the party.

The factions emerged after the outbreak of conflict in 2013.