The ClarityDeskJuly 7, 2026
A post circulating on Facebook claims that former Lakes State governor General Rin Tueny Mabor has joined SPLM-IO. However, this is false.
The claim was first (archived) published by a Facebook page named Naath in Europe on 02 July 2026.
“…Former Lakes State governor Gen. Rin Tueny is rumoured to have joined SPLM IO in Unity State in the morning,” partly reads the post which was accompanied with a picture of General Rin Tueny.
The Facebook post received more than 300 reactions, 95 comments and 8 shares by the time of this publication. In addition, Rialthin Media shared this same claim. Other sources that posted this story are here and here
A screenshot showing the claim accompanied by General Rin’s image
Debunking the Claim:
Through a Google Keyword search, we asked the question: “Did former Lakes State governor Gen Rin Tueny join SPLM IO?” (archived). The results clearly disagree with the claim.
Searching on the internet, there is no credible source reporting the news claiming the former governor has joined the SPLM-IO.
Social media reports also quote his family dismissing as ‘malicious propaganda’ the claim that Rin Tueny Mabor has left the SPLM for the SPLM-IO party.
Rin Tueny Mabor was also seen together with other senior SPLM leaders at the opening of a five-day leadership summit in Juba on 2 July 2026 after rumors alleged he had defected from the party.
The Relieve of General Rin Rin Tueny from Lakes Governorship
In January 2026, President Salva Kiir removed Lakes State Governor Rin Tueny Mabor replacing him with Maj. Gen. Madhang Majok Meen in a presidential decree after having served in that position for almost four years.
Our Verdict:
The ClarityDesk has found a claim that former Lakes State governor, Gen. Rin Tueny Mabor, has joined SPLM-IO ahead of the December 2026 elections to be false. Rin Tueny Mabor together with senior SPLM leaders participated at the opening of a five-day leadership summit in Juba.
This article is published by The ClarityDesk through the Young Journalists Media Integrity Fellowship, with the support of the Election Civic Tech Fund of AfricTivistes, within the AHEAD Africa and Digitalise Youth projects, led by the Digital Democracy Initiative.
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About The ClarityDesk
The ClarityDesk is a media integrity project based in South Sudan dedicated to promoting truth, transparency, and accountability. Working at the intersection of fact-checking, solutions and data journalism, we verify claims, debunk misinformation, and equip the public with tools to critically evaluate information. Our work is guided by accuracy, independence, and the public interest.
