The ClarityDeskJuly 25, 2026
A post making rounds on Facebook claims that the leader of the newly registered In Opposition Party (IOP), Amb. Hon. Stephen Par Kuol has endorsed President Salva Kiir for presidency in the December 2026 general elections, but this is false.
The claim, first published (archived) by a page named Leer TV on 13th July, 2026 further claimed that the In Opposition Party (IOP) has no candidate for the presidency. The Facebook post received approximately 2,500 reactions, 454 comments and 38 shares by the time this article was published.
“Newly registered In Opposition Party (IOP) under the leadership of Amb. Hon. Stephen Par Kuol has endorsed President Salva Kiir for Presidency, confirming that their party has no candidate for presidency,” the Facebook post claimed.
Other Facebook pages that shared the same post are Lich TV and South Sudan Sky TV.
Debunking the Claim:
Using Google Keyword Search for “Did SPLM-IO under Stephen Par endorse Salva Kiir for 2026?” Many local media outlets had stories published where Stephen Par was denying the claim.
SS24, a news Facebook page, published on their page a story with headlined, “SPLM-IO (Stephen Par Kuol faction) denies endorsing President Kiir for 2026 election”
South Sudan Global, a South Sudanese media website published an article with a headline SPLM-IO Par Kuol Denies Endorsing President Kiir for 2026 Elections
Other pages that shared the news of Stephen Par denying the claim are as follows: here, here and here.
Our Verdict:
The ClarityDesk has found the claim that the In Opposition Party (IOP), has endorsed President Salva Kiir for the presidency because the party has no candidate for the presidency to be false. Party leader Stephen Par Kuol has dismissed the news as false.
This article is published by The ClarityDesk through the Young Journalists Media Integrity Fellowship, with support from the AHEAD Africa and Digitalise Youth projects, led by the Digital Democracy Initiative.
Have you spotted an error in this article and would like to request a correction, or have you come across a claim that we should investigate? Please send us an email via editor@claritydesk.org or click here to WhatsApp us via +211 928 606 958.
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.
