Africa-Press – South-Sudan. JUBA — The gunshots that rang out near Freedom Hall in Juba, where a court session linked to the trial of First Vice President Dr Riek Machar and seven co-accused was underway, have sparked allegations of a covert plot to assassinate Machar and overthrow President Salva Kiir.
In a statement, SPLA-IO spokesperson Col. Lam Paul Gabriel said on Saturday that the movement’s intelligence unit had uncovered what he described as a coordinated plan by senior members of the ruling Sudan People’s Liberation Movement in Government (SPLM-IG) and top commanders of the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF).
According to Lam, the alleged plot was preceded by a secretive nighttime gathering in Juba where senior officials and generals reportedly distributed money among themselves for a mission “only known to them.”
He claimed the opposition later determined that the meeting was linked to preparations for a coup aimed at removing President Kiir while simultaneously targeting Machar and other senior political figures viewed as potential obstacles.
He further alleged that the plot is driven by “tribally motivated” interests and is intended to install a replacement leader aligned to a specific identity in order to consolidate control of power.
The Spokesperson warned that such a move could derail ongoing efforts to revive political dialogue, including those tied to African Union resolutions adopted in February 2026.
“The move is not only aimed at jeopardising the imminent return to dialogue…but also preposition a replacement for President Kiir from a particular identity to maintain power and control,” he said.
The SPLA-IO spokesperson also cautioned residents of Juba to remain vigilant, alleging that the same actors behind the purported plot could instigate a new wave of ethnic violence in the capital, similar to or worse than the outbreak of conflict in December 2013. He added that the opposition would “respond accordingly in defence of innocent civilians,” a statement likely to fuel fears of renewed confrontation.
Lam’s remarks came a day after a separate statement by Juol Nhomngek Daniel, a former SPLM-IO member of parliament, who raised alarm over a shooting incident that occurred in the vicinity of Machar’s residence.
The incident, he said, involved armed soldiers discharging weapons, resulting in deaths and injuries near one of the country’s most heavily guarded residential zones.
“The fundamental issue remains: how did armed and unauthorised soldiers penetrate a high-security residential zone designated for the country’s top leadership without interception?” he asked.
He said the presence of unauthorised armed personnel in such a sensitive location could not be explained away as routine indiscipline or intoxication among security forces. Instead, he argued, it pointed to either a serious security lapse, gross negligence, or a deliberate act possibly intended to exploit confusion or even target Machar.
Sudans Post could not independently verify these claims. However, the developments followed a visit by the AU High Representative for the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea, Jakaya Kikwete, who was in Juba in a push to implement the resolution of the C5, which emphasises the inclusive political dialogue and release of all political detainees, including Machar.
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