Gatwech says Kiir, Machar plotting to stay in power ‘for life’

JUBA, JUNE 25, 2023 (SUDANS POST) – South Sudan’s holdout opposition Sudan People’s Liberation Movement in Opposition (SPLM-IO) Kitgwang faction led by General Simon Gatwech Dual has claimed that President Salva Kiir and his first deputy Riek Machar who is also the leader of the main armed opposition group SPLM-IO are not serious about elections and that they plot to stay in power for life.

In a statement extended to Sudans Post, the SPLM-IO Kitgwang Secretary for Information and Public Relations Mai Tang said that the claims by Kiir and Machar that there would an election at the end of 2024 is mean to deceive the people of South Sudan and that the two men wants to stay in power for life without the will of the people.

“Another false and misleading information is that there will be election in December 2024 and people should be calm and wait patiently and only prepare for the exercise and event, this is also not true.  It is false and disinformation designed to keep the citizens in the dark given how they are implementing the 2018 Agreements,” the statement said.

“Based on the inadequate and selective implementation of the 2018 agreement and all the signs that we are seeing, the SPLM/A-IO Kitgwang leadership sees that there will be no election in 2024.  All the activities we are seeing right now from SPLM of Gen. Salva Kiir as well as from the SPLM of Dr. Riek are cover up and deluding of the public pertaining to the December 2024 election,” it added.

The statement said that Kiir and Machar do not intent to go for elections against each other and that there is no elections that is happening in 2024 and the two man are working to consolidate their stay in power for life as president and first vice-president.

“The leadership of SPLM/A-IO Kitgwang believes that there is a top-secret deal between Gen. Salva Kiir and Dr. Riek, and Dr. Riek is not running for President against Gen. Salva Kiir in 2024; therefore, their goal and objective at the moment is to confuse the Country and mislead the masses,” it said.

“There is no election, and they will not stand against each other instead, they are covertly working together to stay in power as President and First Vice President for life as we have heard from Gen. Kuol Manyang Juuk,” it added.