Machar told to name deputy chair, secretary-general for opposition outfit’s youth wing

JUBA – A prominent member of the SPLM-IO is urging First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar Teny who doubles as the chairman and commander in chief of the main armed opposition Sudan People’s Liberation Movement in Opposition (SPLM/SPLA-IO) to name a deputy chair and secretary-general for the group’s youth wing.

Chienglel Gatluak told Sudans Post in an interview on Thursday that most of his colleagues in the SPLM-IO youth league see a power vacuum in the body because it has been operating without deputy chair and secretary general since Machar appointed a new chairperson in March this year.

Gatluak who has also served as the SPLM-IO spokesman in Egypt appealed to First Vice President Machar to name a deputy chair and a secretary general in order for the youth wing to prepare itself for the elections slated for end of 2024, saying early identification of officials to various positions in the group will be an advantage for the SPLM-IO during 2024 elections.

“We the youth need to work hard to make sure that we organize ourselves before elections and for us to succeed we need Comrade Chairman H.E Dr. Riek Machar Teny to appoint Deputy Chair and Secretary General for the SPLM-IO National Youth League so that the leadership of youth can operate effectively,” Gatluak who is also the SPLM-IO spokesman in Egypt said.

“It has been six months now since the appointment of Youth Chairman Cde. Jackson Wani but the Deputy and Secretary General who can help Youth Chairman to get job done remain un appointed so far,” he said.

The senior SPLM-IO Youth League official further stressed that “youth are backbone” of the main armed opposition group and further asserted that “investing in youth guarantees success of the party and that’s why I am raising this concern to H.E the Chairman and Commander in Chief and the head of the youth wing.”

In March this year, Machar appointed Jackson Wani, then secretary-general of the SPLM-IO youth league, as the new chairperson after petroleum minister Puot Kang Chuol exceeded the age limit to still run the SPLM-IO youth league.

Kang who had been facing criticisms from members of the group for failing to advance reforms had stepped down from the helm earlier this year after exceeding the age of 35.