‘We are not for regime change’ – Mabior Garang

JUBA – South Sudan main armed opposition politician and former spokesman of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement in Opposition (SPLM-IO) led by First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar Teny, Mabior Garang De Mabior, has said that the SPLM-IO Kitgwang faction is not for regime change, saying some politicians in Juba are not happy that they are not for war.

This comes hours after General Johnson Olony Thabo said in an interview with Radio Tamazuj that they are negotiating with President Salva Kiir Mayardit for their possible return to the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF), less than a month after breaking away from the main stream SPLM-IO under FVP Machar.

General Olony had said early that “If they (the government) are fully committed to the implementation of the security arrangement we will have a united force and we will all go back under the umbrella of the SPLA (SSPDF), including Riek, Gatwech Dual, and all of us in South Sudan, we are SPLA. We don’t have any major disagreement with President Kiir.”

In a brief social media statement, Mabior Garang who was the chairman of the SPLM/SPLA (IO) National Committee for Information and Public Relations said the confirmed the interview between General Olony and Radio Tamazuj and said the Kitgwang generals are not for regime change, but for the implementation of the agreement.

“Regarding the Radio Tamazuj interview with Gen. Johnson Olony, we are in agreement. We are categorically opposed to the concept of regime change. We are also ready for dialogue with the government of the day in Juba,” Mabior said.

He further urged the public to “dismiss the propaganda machine of the intellectual mercenaries of the barbaric status quo who are disappointed that we do not want war. We will not promote wars to be fought by other people’s children.”