General Johnson Olony urges Kiir to appoint him in “final” call

JUBA – South Sudan’s embattled main armed opposition nominee for governor of Upper Nile state General Johnson Olony Thaba has appealed to the government of President Salva Kiir Mayardit, in what he said is the last call, to appoint him as governor of the oil-rich state as nominated by the SPLM-IO.

Olony who is the sector one commander of the main armed opposition group in Upper Nile was nominated in June by First Vice President and SPLM-IO leader Dr. Riek Machar Teny for governorship of the oil-rich state.

However, president Salva Kiir instantly rejected his appointment saying he is a warmonger who would jeopardize reconciliation efforts between the already bitter Upper Nile state communities who have been badly divided by the civil war.

“The SPLA-IO military general command demands for the fifth and the last the transitional government in Juba the appointment of General Johnson Olony as governor of Upper Nile state,” the statement signed by Olony’s spokesman Chuol Deng Thon reads in part.

The statement which is published on the SPLA-IO sector one’s command further urged for the implementation of security arrangements provided for in the revitalized peace agreement signed by the SPLM-IO and the government in September 2018.

 

It also called for the dissolution of the incumbent Transitional National Legislative Assembly to enable for the formation of the Reconstituted Transitional National Legislative Assembly to include other signatories to the revitalized peace deal.

“The General Command demands that security arrangements provisions be properly implemented in a manner agreed upon by all parties and witnessed by the Troika states, and IGAD,” the statement said.

[We also] calls for the dissolution of the current parliament so that a national parliament that includes all stakeholders is formed,” the statement added.

The statement by Olony comes a few days following his rejection of return to Juba before his appointment as governor.

Last week, a high-level delegation led by SPLM-IO Country Representative to Sudan Gatbang Riir arrived in Magenis where Olony is headquartered and asked him to return to Juba.