Gatwech dismisses Olony, names Odwar as deputy

JUBA – The leader of South Sudan’s breakaway SPLA-IO faction, General Simon Gatwech Dual, has dismissed his deputy General Johnson Olony Thubo and replaced him with former SPLM-IO deputy chairman and ex-minister of mining Henry Odwar.

Odwar until his appointment today was the Chairman of the SPLM-IO Kitgwang Political Bureau, the political wing of the group.

In June, Gen. Olony’s allies claimed that they had dismissed Gatwech and replaced him with Olony. But General Olony has denied that he removed Gatwech and claimed that he was still receiving orders from him despite continued fighting between their loyalists.

Gatwech also denied several times that Olony has replaced him, but fighting between Olony and Gatwech’s forces raised doubts over the relationship between the two rebel commanders with Gatwech accusing the government of President Kiir of setting Olony up against him.

But in July, a high-level gathering of Gatwech and his political allies resolved to remove Olony and name a new deputy to Gatwech.

In a statement this afternoon, Gen. Gatwech said he has appointed Odwar as the new deputy chairperson and commander in chief of the SPLM/SPLA (IO) Kitgwang faction with effect from today, sidelining Gen. Olony.

“Reference to resolutions of SPLM/A IO Kitgwang three days’ leadership consultative Conference dated 16-18 July 2022, and based on the structural document of the SPLM/A (IO), I., 1st Lt. Gen. Simon Gatwech Dual the Interim Chairman and Commander In Chief of SPLM/A IO Kitgwang do hereby appoint Hon. Henry Dilah Odwar to the position of Deputy Chairman of SPLM/A IO Kitgwang effective 9, August, 2022,” he said.