BREAKING: SSPDF commander and ex-minister abandons Kiir, joins Machar

JUBA – A senior South Sudan People’s Defense Force (SSPDF) commander and former minister of health in the defunct Eastern Lakes state has abandoned President Salva Kiir and has declared his intention to join the main armed opposition group, SPLA-IO, under the leadership of First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar Teny.

Major-General Achol Marial declared his defection today during a press conference in Juba in an event also attended by senior SPLM-IO official Telar Ring Deng, who has been working, in recent months, to rally more citizens from Lakes state behind Machar.

“I have served SPLM party with passion dedication and integrity to advance the course of its vision and missions although my efforts have gone futile and unrecognized. The decision to leave the party have been triggered by innumerable and complex issues including but not limited to loss of direction, vision and total failure,” Dr. Marial said.

General Marial who is a respected former minister and army commander in Lakes said he holds no regrets for his decision to join the main armed opposition group led by Machar saying he has been silence for so long on the SPLM loss of vision.

“I do not hold single thought for regrets over my departure and so soon, I will notify the World publicly about the grievances that eventually triggered this decision after over a decade of self-imposed silence and reservation,” he said.

“On a similar note, I wholeheartedly declare my allegiance to SPLM-IO under the able leadership of Dr. Riak Machar Teny,” he added.

He further said that he is satisfied with the SPLM-IO vision which he said would definitely  help restore hopes of the people of South Sudan shattered by loss of vision from the ruling SPLM faction.

” I am very much satisfied with the objectives and vision of SPLM-IO and have therefore, decided to join hands with the real revolutionaries to have the lost vision of the struggle revived and country saved from the hands of hijackers,” he added.