Gatwech appoints outspoken SPLM-IO official Kalany Mamuon as press secretary

JUBA – South Sudan’s opposition commander and chairman of the SPLM-IO Kitgwang faction Gen. Simon Gatwech Dual has appointed outspoken SPLM-IO activist James Kalany Mamuon as press secretary in his office.

“Based on the structural documents of the SPLM/A (IO), and reference to the Kitgwang Declaration, I, 1st Lt. Gen. Simon Gatwech Dual, the Interim Chairman and Commander in Chief of the SPLM/A (IO), do hereby appoint Cde James Kalany Mamuon Biem as the press secretary in the office of the interim chairman and commander in chief of the SPLM/A (IO) with effect from 8th October 2021,” General Gatwech said in an appointment letter extended to Sudans Post.

Kalany previously served as director of social media for the SPLM-IO National Committee for Information and Public Relations. Since General Gatwech split from Machar in August this year, the opposition official has been fierce against Machar and declared openly that he was supporting General Simon Gatwech Dual against Machar.

Gatwech last August attempted, following a three-day gathering of opposition commanders at Kitgwang in Magenis, to remove Dr. Riek as the leader of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/Army in Opposition accusing him of surrendering the security arrangements to President Salva Kiir Mayardit at the expense of opposition commanders who remained in the bush despite Machar’s return to Juba in February 2020.

Since then, several opposition commanders and troops have been making statements declaring allegiance to General Gatwech and his deputy, former SPLA-IO Sector One commander General Johnson Olony Thabo, and General Thomas Mabor Dhol of Sector Three in eastern Upper Nile state.