Gatwech dismisses claims he received $2 million from Kiir, says talks with gov’t to resume soon

JUBA – South Sudan’s main armed Sudan People’s Liberation Movement in Opposition (SPLM-IO) faction led by former SPLA-IO chief of staff General Simon Gatwech Dual has dismissed reports that he has received $2 million from the government of President Salva Kiir Mayardit.

Speaking to Sudans Post in Khartoum on Thursday, James Kalany Mamuon, Gen. Gatwech’s media aide, said the social media claims were meant by enemies of the SPLM/SPLA (IO) Kitgwang faction to tarnish the image of General Gatwech and the group.

“These fake information going on in the social media against the Chairman and Commander in Chief of the SPLM/SPLA H.E. 1^st Lt. Gen. Simon Gatwech Dual are meant to tarnish the image of the leadership of the SPLM/SPLA (IO)and they are not true what so ever,” he said from the Sudanese capital Khartoum.

“Since coming to Khartoum, General Gatwech Dual, General Johnson Olony, and General Thomas Mabor Dhol are living in at their own expense and no one is paying them nor gave them the two millions dollars being speculated on social media. General Gatwech himself is living at the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) strategic college and Gen. Olony and Mabor are living in their homes,” he added.

Talk to resume in two weeks

The senior opposition official further said peace talks meant to discuss the implementation of the transitional security arrangements are going to be started within two weeks’ time adding that General Simon Gatwech and government delegation led by Tutkew Gatluak met and discussed the ongoing preparation for the talks to take place.

“We met with the government delegation led by Tutkew Gatluak and discuss the way forward regarding the negotiation and they apologized to us for not coming back on time, but they said the talks will begin in two weeks because of the ongoing situation in Sudan,” he said.

Mamuon further denied reports that the talks with President Salva Kiir’s government were being transferred from Khartoum to Juba saying Tut Gatluak did not inform them of any government intention to move the talks to Juba as reported last week.