General Gatwech to hand over SPLM-IO power to civilian administration ‘soon’

JUBA – Former SPLA-IO Chief of General Staff General Simon Gatwech Dual is preparing to hand over power to a civilian administration within the SPLM-IO very soon, according to former deputy minister of interior Mabior Garang De Mabior who was the group’s chair of national committee for information.

General Simon Gatwech recently attempted to remove First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar Teny from being the leader of the main armed opposition group. He made the attempt public in a communiqué that followed a three-day gathering of top SPLA-IO commander at Kitgwang, Magenis, on August 4, 2021.

In a statement this morning, Mabior said senior SPLM-IO politicians who recently joined the Kitgwang faction led by General Simon Gatwech Dual are confident that the opposition commander will soon hand over power to a civil administration of the main armed opposition group.

“Dr. Riek Machar was deposed by his army, not politicians. We who agree with the principles raised by the army in the Kit Gwang Declaration are waiting for the army to hand over political power to a civilian administration. This we are confident will happen soon,” Mabior said.

The senior opposition official said the group is aware that Machar is mentioned by name in the revitalized peace agreement as the sole occupant of the office of the First Vice President and as such they are not – as of now – for Machar’s removal from the position as they are not for positions.

“We are also aware that the FVP is mentioned by name in the Agreement – that is not the issue. The Kit Gwang Declaration is not a struggle for power, it is a call for law and order in our land. Dr. Machar was only deposed by the peoples’ army as Chairman and Commander in Chief of the peoples’ struggle,” he added.

“This is politics. We still respect Dr. Riek Machar as an elder and we respect the constitutional post. What we are calling for is not war but peace. Our colleagues have been in Juba for three years now. We have given their version of peace a chance. All we are saying is, let us take another look,” he added.