Gen. Olony threatens to take action against Gatwech after dismissal

JUBA – South Sudan holdout opposition commander and leader of the rebel Agwelek faction Gen. Johnson Olony Thubo has threatened to take action against General Simon Gatwech Dual, just a day after his removal as deputy head of the SPLA-IO Kitgwang faction.

Yesterday, Gatwech appointed former SPLM-IO deputy chairperson and former minister of mining, Hendry Odwar, as his deputy, but did not issued a letter to dismiss Gen. Olony with sources telling Sudans Post that he was not appointed from the first place.

Speaking in an interview with Radio Tamazuj, Olony said he hasn’t been consulted on his replacement with Henry Odwar and accused Gen. Gatwech of wanting to continue with the conflict and the involvement of politicians which he said he do not want.

“I was not consulted, but I was informed by some people that I had been replaced with Odwar. So I have no problem if I am removed from the position. I have not yet declared my position; we are still together until now. General Gatwech wants to continue fighting, and I want peace,” he said.

“This is the point of disagreement between him and me. When we formed the SPLM/A-IO Kit-Gwang faction last year, we agreed that it should be a military movement only, but General Gatwech insists that there is a need to include politicians in the group,” he added.

He further said “I am for peace, and if Gatwech does not want me, I will sit with Thomas Mabor and the other officers to make a decision.”