SSOA chief whip in parliament Mahjoub Biel. (Courtesy).

SSOA Chief Whip said the alliance members were shocked to learn that they were denied permission by the security apparatus to hold a reception ceremony for senior member Dr. Lam Akol on September 16.

The South Sudan Opposition Alliance is a coalition of at least nine political parties in the country that are signatories to the 2018 peace agreement.

Mahjoub Biel, the group’s parliamentary chief whip said the parties had planned a welcoming celebration for Dr. Lam Akol who has just returned to the country.

Mr. Biel, also the Secretary-General of Dr. Lam’s National Democratic Movement, said the group had first scheduled the event for September 9 before it was adjourned.

“It was planned to be on date 9 September at Nyakorun Cultural Center, but for some organizational reason within SSOA, it did not happen on the same date because we changed the location due to the previous location, was booked by another person,” he said.

They were shocked that there was no permit for the event to be held.

“We were supposed to do it on the 16th of September. We moved to the basketball court in Nimra Talata, so we continued to organize the event.”

“But we got shocked on Saturday that there was no permission from security authority for the event to be held, this is what led to the postponement of this program.”

On Sunday, some political activists said the country is facing a serious lack of political freedoms.