General Gatwech Dual, Duer Tut at loggerhead over who replace Machar – source

JUBA – A fresh disagreement has emerged within the holdout Sudan People’s Liberation Movement in Opposition (SPLM-IO) faction under General Simon Gatwech Dual after the top opposition military chief reportedly rejected to endorse Duer Tut Duer as interim chairman of the group, an opposition official who is well informed said.

Yesterday, Sudans Post reported of an ongoing meeting between senior opposition commanders and General Simon Gatwech at Magenis, a disputed territory between Sudan and South Sudan, to discuss developments within the SPLA-IO including the recent dismissal of the SPLA-IO chief of military staff by Dr. Riek Machar Teny, the group’s chairman and commander in chief.

Aides belonging to General Johnson Olony Thabo also told Sudans Post that the opposition commander who was in June 2020 nominated by Machar as governor of Upper Nile state and was rejected by Kiir had traveled from Kosti to Magenis to help General Gatwech organize for the meeting.

Speaking to Sudans Post on Tuesday Wednesday evening, one senior opposition official who said he attended the meeting before returning to Khartoum in the afternoon said General Simon Gatwech Dual rejected the nomination of Duer Tut, the former governor of the defunct SPLM-IO Sobat state, without providing an alternative.

“Actually Duer Tut did not nominate himself to be the next Chair of the SPLM/SPLA (IO). He was not at the meeting actually, he was not called by General Gatwech because given him being vocal, Gatwech did not want him to attend the meeting,” the official told Sudans Post from the Sudanese capital Khartoum.

“A good number of generals who attended the meeting recommended Duer Tut to be the interim chair of the movement until we find time for a national convention for the people to elect their own leader, but General Gatwech refused this proposal and he didn’t give any explanation and after that I came to Khartoum,” the official added.

Contacted by Sudans Post as to whether he has nominated himself and has been rejected by General Gatwech Dual, Governor Duer said: “I am not informed about that, but I am aware that Simon Gatwech wants himself to be the Chairman [of the SPLM/SPLA-IO].”

When asked if he has been in communication with General Gatwech, the powerful opposition politician said: “The last time [to speak to General Simon Gatwech Dual] was on 27^th of May 2021.”