![Factional SPLM-IO leader Gen. Simon Gatwech Dual looks during a meeting with government delegation in the Sudanese capital Khartoum on October 2, 2021. [Photo via Facebook]](https://i0.wp.com/www.sudanspost.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/WhatsApp-Image-2021-10-03-at-5.51.17-AM.jpeg?quality=89&ssl=1)
Makuach, a former senior member of the SPLM-IO on Wednesday morning announced his intention to abandon the Kitgwang faction led by General Gatwech to join the main armed opposition SPLM-IO led by Machar and accused General Simon Gatwech Dual of allowing himself to be used by President Salva Kiir Mayardit to frustrate the opposition at the expense of the people of South Sudan.
Reacting to Gen. Makuach Teny’s defection this afternoon, Col. Alfred Gach Thoat, the military spokesman of the Gatwech-led group, told Sudans Post that the group will not be affected by the defection of Gen. Makuach Teny, saying Gen. Makuach has defected several times throughout the conflict.
“I think even Sudans Post knows that General Makuach Teny has defected millions of times. He is a seasoned defector known for hypocrisy. Each time he sees green pasture there, he goes there and after he is done there, he move to a different platform to look for greener pasture. So, his defection is insignificant and we don’t even discuss it as a concern to us,” he told Sudans Post from the Sudanese capital Khartoum.
Col. Alfred dismissed as a “white lie” the claim by General Makuach Teny that he defected along with 20 senior members of the opposition faction and said that “this man defected alone and his claim that he defected with 20 generals or senior members of the SPLM-IO Kitgwang is a white lie and is not even close to truth because where would he get those 20 generals when he defects every now and then.”
‘SET UP TO FRUSTRATE SPLM-IO’
In an interview with Sudans Post following a press conference in the Sudanese capital Khartoum this morning, General Makuach said Gen. Gatwech’s 2021 defection from the SPLM-IO under First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar Teny was engineered by President Salva Kiir and is a set up to frustrate the SPLM-IO so as the regime continue to oppress the people of South Sudan.
“We are defecting from the SPLM-IO Kitgwang faction under General Gatwech Dual because they have no vision and their decision to defect from the SPLM-IO in August last year has happened to be a set up to frustrate the movement under H.E the First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar Teny,” Makuach said.
“So, we believe that it is not too late for us to do the right thing by returning to the real SPLM/SPLA (IO) under the wise leadership of H.E the First Vice President of the Republic of South Sudan Dr. Riek Machar Teny-Dhurgon and we call on anyone who is still questioning that the right decision to protect the revitalized peace agreement is to rejoin the movement under the leader of Dr. Riek Machar,” he added.
The senior opposition figure further said the world’s youngest country is in a very critical stage of the transition that he said wants the unity of the opposition, claiming that the SPLM faction under President Salva Kiir Mayardit is growing more intransigent against opposition groups because of the disunity that he said has been caused by the government among the rebel forces.
“Our country is going through difficult time especially this time of transition from violence to peace. The government under Salva Kiir is doing all it can in order to destroy the unity of the opposition, the only solution for the problems of the people of South Sudan, so it can continue to exploit the weakness and cement the dictatorship,” he added.
Makuach further added that “I am moving away from this group with at least 21 senior members of the opposition military formerly under Gatwech as well as politicians and we are not turning back, but only asking our few comrades who have decided to stay behind to take one of the critical decisions for the sack of changing our people’s situation from bad to good.”
