Olony promotes himself to high rank, reportedly planning to launch new rebel group

JUBA — South Sudan’s controversial opposition commander General Johnson Olony Thabo has promoted himself to the rank of First Lieutenant General and is reportedly planning to launch a new rebel group, senior SPLM-IO officials briefed on the development said.

The opposition commander was previously nominated for governor of the oil-rich Upper Nile state by SPLM-IO leader Dr. Riek Machar Teny, but was not appointed because President Kiir refused to consent to his nomination into the position.

Machar was then forced to appoint another person, Abudhok Ayang — a well-known Olony critic — from the opposition commander’s Chollo tribe. Olony has previously told Sudans Post that he won’t accept the new governor.

Since then, the opposition commander has moved from the Sudanese capital Khartoum where he was based to a place in Northern Upper Nile state and has since refused to speak to SPLM-IO leader and South Sudan First Vice-President Dr. Riek Machar.

Speaking to Sudans Post on Monday evening, a senior SPLM-IO official in Khartoum said they have been informed and briefed about General Johnson Olony’s activities which he said include promoting himself into the rank of First Lieutenant-General.

“We have been informed by a credible informant that Lt. Gen. Johnson Olony Thabo has promoted himself to the rank of  1st Lt. Gen. and we have also been informed of his activities,” the official said on condition of anonymity.

Another officer allied to Olony said in a statement that General Johnson Olony is also planning to launch a new rebel group against the regime in Juba saying the SPLM-IO has proven to be a hand being used against change makers by the regime in Juba.

“You know the IO under Riek [Machar] is being used by the government to prevent people who are capable of changing the regime from doing what they should do,” the official said.

“That’s why we have decided that there must be an alternative. The people of South Sudan are tired and are only looking for a uniting leader who can lead their cause and this is the basis being used by General Johnson Olony to consider another opposition movement,” he added.