General Olony’s promotion to new rank does not need endorsement from Machar – aide

Machar is the chairperson of the main armed opposition group SPLM-IO and was appointed as the First Vice President of South Sudan as part of the revitalized peace agreement he signed with President Salva Kiir in September 2018.

In June last year, he nominated General Johnson Olony, the commander of Agwelek forces — an insurgent group that joined the SPLM-IO in 2015 following defection from Kiir — for governorship of Upper Nile state which was allocated to the SPLM-IO by the revitalized peace agreement.

Olony was however not appointed after President Salva Kiir refused to do so arguing that the controversial opposition commander is a war-monger who he said would jeopardize reconciliation among bitter Upper Nile state communities.

The SPLM-IO denied the assertion by Kiir and said the president does not have the right under the peace agreement to reject nominees from other parties to the agreement under any circumstances.

Machar eventually replaced General Johnson Olony with another member of Agwelek, Abudhok Ayang, who was not accepted by Olony according to what he told Sudans Post days following Abudhok’s appoint that he won’t accept him as governor.

Since then, Olony has not been in contact with Machar, according to opposition sources close to both men, confining himself to his base in Upper Nile state reportedly calculating his next move.

Last week, a senior opposition commander told Sudans Post that General Johnson Olony Thabo has promoted himself into the new rank and was planning to launch a new opposition group with the aim to fight the transitional government of national unity established as part of the revitalized peace agreement.

Speaking to Sudans Post on Friday, Omojok Abac, a senior member of the SPLM-IO Youth League and an aide to General Johnson Olony, said General Johnson Olony didn’t promote himself alone and was promoted by the Agwelek military council.

“The reports that he promoted himself are not true. General Johnson Olony was promoted to the rank of first lieutenant-general by the Agwelek,” the official said from northern Upper Nile.

Asked as to whether the promotion need endorsement or confirmation from Machar, Obac said “no” and further denied reports that the opposition commander is not in communication with Machar.

“He is still in communication with Dr. Riek,” he added.