Kiir wants Gen. Gatwech to ‘go home in peace’ – official

JUBA — President Salva Kiir Mayardit does not reportedly want General Simon Gatwech Dual and his forces to be integrated into the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) and wants him instead to retire and “go home in peace”.

General Gatwech is the leader of the breakaway SPLM/SPLA (IO) Kitgwang faction which was formed in August 2021 after the controversial opposition commander attempted to remove First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar Teny as leader of the main armed opposition SPLM-IO.

The attempt by General Gatwech to remove Machar sparked opposition infighting resulting in the killing of hundreds of fighters — including top opposition commanders — both loyal to Gatwech and Machar in northern Upper Nile town of Magenis.

In January, Gatwech signed a peace agreement with President Salva Kiir’s ruling Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM), providing for integration of his forces into South Sudan People’s Defense Forces within a period of not more than three months.

But six months into the agreement, General Gatwech’s forces haven’t yet been integrated and the agreement appears to be in a stalemate as Kiir’s security advisor and spy chief seem to only go along on with General Johnson Olony’s Agwelek group.

Speaking to Sudans Post last week, Gatwech threatened to return to the bush if the agreement is not respected and said General Akol Koor, the chief of intelligence, and Tut Gatluak, Kiir’s security advisor, are “cheating” him over the implementation progress of the agreement that he said cannot go through.

Speaking to Sudans Post this morning, a senior presidency official said President Salva Kiir Mayardit does not want General Gatwech’s return to the army, but instead want to see him retire and go home because of his age.

“Yes there are issues to do with the implementation of the agreement we signed with Gatwech in January, but the president himself, as well as those advising him, doesn’t want General Gatwech to stay in the army. He want him to retire,” the aide who requested not to be named said.

“That’s why he want him to go home at all cost. He is ready to protect him as a veteran SPLA soldier who also participated in the liberation struggle that earned us our country’s independence. So, he want him to go home in peace,” the aid further added.

When contacted by Sudans Post, General Gatwech could not be reached, but the latest claims in his relation with President Salva Kiir Mayardit will likely affect the implementation of the agreement signed in January in Khartoum