SPLA-IO military authorities stated that Dr. Riek Machar Teny, the SPLM/A-IO Commander in Chief, has been replaced by Gen. Simon Gatwech Dual, the former SPLA-IO Chief of General Staff.
The decision follows an intensification of military and political tensions between the movement’s head, Dr. Riek Machar, and several of his army generals, led by Gen. Gatwech and Gen. Johnson Olony.
Chol Deng, the movement’s new spokesperson, informed local Radio Tamazuj Wednesday evening that the military leaders made the announcement in the Kit Gwang district of Magenis in Upper Nile State.
“After a meeting of the military council in the area of Kit Gwang, known as Magenis, the military leaders decided to dissolve the political office and the military council of the movement, and to dismiss Dr. Riek Machar, from the leadership of the movement, starting from August 3, 2021,” he said. “The military council decided to choose General Simon Gatwech Dual, Chief of Staff of the Army, as the head of the movement and the commander-in-chief of the SPLM-IO forces as of August 3, 2021.”
Machar, according to Deng, no longer represents the movement or the people of South Sudan.
The organization accused Machar, the movement’s former leader, of poor administration, lack of transparency, and nepotism in a statement.
They also charged Machar with compromising the movement’s vision by making unilateral choices without consulting the movement’s liberation and military councils.
The SPLM/A-IO Political Bureau and the National Liberation Council were likewise disbanded.
“General Simon Gatwech Dual, Chief of Staff of the army, General Thomas Mabor Dhul, commander of Division 3 and General Johnson Olony, the commander of Division 1 attended the meeting,” Deng said.
They also instructed the movement’s representatives to report to Magenis for consultations on all peace mechanisms.
All political and military leaders in the movement, as well as the people of South Sudan, were told to support the full implementation of the peace agreement, emphasizing the importance of implementing security arrangements.
In 2014, Gen. Gatwech was named Chief of Staff of the SPLA-IO, but he refused to travel to Juba until the security measures were properly established.
Last June, Gen. Gatwech was relieved from his position and appointed by President Salva Kiir as a peace advisor for the presidency, an offer he turned down saying he was not consulted and it was an attempt to lure him to Juba.
*This article was written by Gerald Gekara for Uzalendo News. Email: uzalendonews@gmail.com for News tips and Inquiries.
