Machar’s office confirms Gen. Gatwech’s defection, convenes emergency PB meeting

JUBA – South Sudan’s main armed opposition group, SPLM-IO, has confirmed the defection of its military chief General Simon Gatwech Dual and an opposition spokesman allied to First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar Teny is saying that an emergency meeting of the SPLM-IO Political Bureau in Juba was ongoing.

This comes one day after General Simon Gatwech, who has previously rejected an offer as a presidential peace envoy, declared in a statement that Machar, a central figure in South Sudan’s politics, was no longer the leader of the most powerful opposition group in the country and that he has been tasked to lead the group on an interim basis.

Speaking to Sudans Post moments ago, Puok Both Baluang, the SPLM-IO Director of Information and Public Relations and Acting Spokesman of the First Vice President confirmed General Gatwech’s defection and said the group would update the public when an ongoing meeting of the SPLM-IO Political Bureau is concluded.

“The SPLM/A (IO) Political Bureau is meeting at the moment regarding the defection of Gen. Gatwech Dual,” Puok Both Baluang told Sudans Post from the South Sudanese capital Juba, adding that the main armed opposition group “will update the public about the outcome when it’s done.”

Power struggle within the SPLM/SPLA-IO emerged early this year when General Gatwech urged the regional bloc, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) which mediated the revitalized peace agreement, to release Machar to go an brief the SPLA-IO military on the implementation of the revitalized peace agreement which he has criticized because the government was not respecting it.

Later on, General Gatwech made an attempt to suspend the group’s chief of military intelligence General Dhiling Keah after allegations of misconducts which include false accusations that the chief of staff was planning to defect to the government of President Salva Kiir.

Machar responded by dismissing the suspension escalating the power struggle within the group. In June, President Salva Kiir Mayardit appointed General Gatwech as a presidential advisor on peace upon nomination by Machar, General Gatwech refused to take up the position saying it does not exist in the revitalized peace agreement.