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3. That, the SPLM has been unable to sufficiently address fundamental questions that informed
the liberation movement

4. That, the SPLM betrayed the struggle for national liberation through power struggle
and militarization of national politics, thus failed to address both the social and national
questions in South Sudan.

1.6 Research Questions

The following research questions guided the study:

1. What prompted the founding of the SPLM?

2. What was the nature of the peace process and transitional agreements between 2005 and

2011?
3. How did the politics of SPLM lead to the emergence of political factions?

4. How did the SPLM address the social and national questions after 2011?

1.7 Limitations of the Study

There were several limitations to this study. There are possible methodological limitations because

of the number of key informants. Although it’s a qualitative research relying on smaller data and
especially this study, lack of research on the topic and critical information may be guarded or
even denied. Furthermore, self-reported data may not be independently verified. There are of
course possible biases or exaggerations on the part of the respondents. These limitations would

be overcome through increasing the number of informants and verifications from alternative
sources of information provided by each informant. Finally, confidential interviews would be
arranged and informant treated as anonymous.

1.8 Significance of the Study

Liberation movements in Africa in general and SPLM in particular launched a long and violent
armed struggle with very high human casualties and sacrifices on the part of SPLM. As a political

and military movement, its legacy as a liberation movement and government is less studied and
understood. This study is important in understanding how national liberation movements conduct
their liberation struggle and their legacy as both a national liberation movement and government
thereafter. One is better placed to understand their conception of liberation and governance
through careful interrogation of the movement as case study to increase knowledge of liberation

politics in Africa.

The study too has policy implications. Kwame Nkrumah and Amilcar Cabral observed that the
first stage of national liberation is to get the political kingdom first then move on to address
challenges of nation building in the context of the national project (Mkandawire, 2009; Tandon,
2008). Liberation movements make certain policy options and choices that advance their cause

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