![South Sudan First Vice President, Chairman and Commander in Chief of SPLM, SPLA-IO, Dr. Riek Machar Teny greeting his generals in Pagak in 2015 [Photo via Facebook]](https://i0.wp.com/www.sudanspost.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/fvp_riek_machar_arrives_in_his_general_headquarters_pagak._he_was_received_by_spla-io_s_cheif_of_general_staff_1st_lt._gen._simon_gatwech_dual_12_april_2016_-a280a.jpg?ssl=1)
JUBA — The military chief of South Sudan’s main armed opposition group, SPLM/SPLA (IO), General Simon Gatwech Dual, has defended General Johnson Olony Thabo in promoting himself to the rank of first lieutenant-general.
In an interview on Friday, General Gatwech also accused Machar of unilaterally promoting army officers of the main armed opposition group without consulting him as a chief of staff of the army.
This comes a week after a senior opposition commander told Sudans Post that Olony promoted himself and was working on forming a new rebel group to fight the government in Juba.
This, the commander who requested not to be named said, is because General Olony is not happy of his replacement as the SPLM-IO nominee for Upper Nile state gubernatorial position.
General Gatwech said General Olony promoted himself along with a number of officers in the SPLA-IO’s first division also known as Agwelek saying the administrative issue is a result of Machar’s promotion of military officers without consulting the chief of staff.
“This is an administrative issue. Olony promoted himself and other officers in the Agwelek Division because the leader of the movement, Riek Machar, promoted officers without consulting the Chief of Staff of the Army and consulting Olony,” General Dual said during the interview with Radio Tamazuj.
The top opposition commander further dismissed reports that Olony is forming a new rebel group and said he has no problem and he is still loyal to the movement.
“General Johnson Olony has no problem, and he does not want to rebel from the movement, and what I know is that he has been promoting officers and soldiers within the forces of Agwelek since 2018,” he said.
Asked whether Olony is in contact with other parties such as the government in Juba, General Dual replied: “All of this is false rumors.”
“SPLA-IO military chief defends Olony’s self promotion to new rank”
Where is Mr. Johnson Liny? Go and look for him Nairobi or in hell.
‘Our Nuer ke nyantoc always promote themselves, however, they are most traitors in South Sudan, North Sudan and our Egypt’.
‘Muoc rot du gaar (give yourselves higher chap)’ military ranks. But when the South Sudanese people come and asked their military credentials.
They don’t have any. William Nyuon Beny, Daniel Kuot Mathew, Marial Benjamin and others, are respect by ‘Jaangs/Muonyjiengs/Dinkas/Jenges’
Once again, watch this space