SPLM-IO insists General Gatwech was consulted before appointment as presidential advisor

JUBA – South Sudan’s main armed opposition group, SPLM-IO, led by First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar Teny has dismissed as untrue assertion by General Simon Gatwech Dual’s office that he had rejected nomination to the presidential advisor position.

Yesterday, President Salva Kiir Mayardit appointed General Gatwech Dual, the SPLA-IO military chief, as a presidential advisor for peace. Later on, an aide close to General Gatwech told Sudans Post that the opposition military chief had rejected the nomination to the position when he was approached by Machar three or four months ago.

However, speaking to Sudans Post in an exclusive interview on Tuesday afternoon, Puok Both Baluang, the SPLM-IO director of information and public relations said Machar had consulted the opposition military commander and the later had accepted the offer.

“The Chairman and Commander in Chief of the SPLM-IO had consulted General Gatwech Dual regarding his appointment as presidential advisor and General Gatwech has given his consent to Dr. Riek accepting that position. So, it is something that was done way back between the two [comrades], Dr. Riek and General Gatwech Dual, and General Gatwech has accepted to be appointed to that position,” Baluang said from Juba.

“What I would like to reiterate is that General Simon Gatwech Dual was consulted and if he rejected, his name would not have been submitted to the president he would have not been submitted to the President for appointment. So, I would like to refute that this (if General Gatwech is saying he was not consulted),” he added.

The senior opposition official further said the main armed opposition group’s office in the capital Juba has not received any official communication from General Gatwech rejecting the appointment.

“Yes the consultation was done three to four months ago, but I would like to mention that we did not received any official communication from General Gatwech for him not accepting the appointment that was announced bide presidential decree announced yesterday,” he said.

“What I would like to reiterate is that General Simon Gatwech Dual was consulted and if he had rejected it, his name would not have been submitted to the president for appointment. So, I would like to refute that (General Gatwech is saying he was not consulted),” he added.

Asked as to whether it was good at the crucial time of the peace implementation to appoint a military commander into a political position, Baluang said “many generals now in South Sudan including SPLA-IO generals in the states and the national government in Juba.”