Hundreds of Machar’s allies join Kiir in Unity State

JUBA – More than two hundred politicians belonging to South Sudan’s main armed opposition Sudan People’s Liberation Movement in Opposition (SPLM-IO) led by First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar Teny have defected to the ruling Sudan People’s Liberation Movement in Government (SPLM-IG) led by President Salva Kiir Mayardit in Unity State.

In a statement, Unity State Governor Nguen Manytuil’s office said the opposition officials who hail from southern Unity State’s Panyijiar County made the declaration at the state coordination office in the capital Juba on Friday in presence of the governor, claiming that the defectors include politicians and senior army generals.

“SPLM Unity State under leadership of Cde Lt Gen Dr Joseph Manytuil Wejang on Friday received more than two hundreds SPLM-IO members who hails from Panyijiar County,” the statement by the governor’s office and extended to Sudans Post reads in part.

“The group comprising of politicians and seniors SPLA-IO military generals declared their allegiances to SPLM under leadership of Cde. Gen. Salva Kiir Mayardit this morning in SPLM National Secretariate before SPLM National Secretary of Political Affairs and mobilization, Cde Kuol Atem Bol and Cde Mary Paul Ngudeng, Acting National Secretary for Social Welfare,” the statement added.

Speaking to the media following the announcement, the leader of the group Michael Loot Gatluok said they defected from the Machar-led group because it has been “aggravated by suppression, political deprivation and marginalization of Nyuong Nuer people by the SPLM_IO leadership both in the national and state level.”

The senior opposition official who promised to work for President Kiir’s party further said they will be “overwhelmingly pledges to continue mobilizing more people in Panyijiar County to join SPLM and to disregard the SPLM-IO, and as family party that promote autocracy and nepotism.”

For his part said the people of Panyijiar County “are always the beginning of change in Unity State, and stressed that the people of Panyijiar (Nyuong) are symbol of peace and unity in Unity State. Manytuil further called upon the people of Panyijiar County to join SPLM under leadership of Cde Gen Salva Kiir Mayardit.”