Maguek claims he defected with over 300 people to Kiir

JUBA, OCTOBER 8, 2023 (SUDANS POST) – The defecting SPLA-IO commander Lt. Gen. Simon Maguek Gai has said that he defected with over 300 military officers and politicians to the SSPDF and SPLM under President Salva Kiir Mayardit.

General Maguek, former SPLA-IO Sector Two commander, on Saturday switched site and accused First Vice President Riek Machar, the leader of the main armed opposition Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/Army (SPLM/SPLA-IO) of nepotism.

He made the announcement at the ruling Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM-IG) House in Juba and his defection event was attended by SPLM Secretary-General Peter Lam Both, and Unity State governor Joseph Nguen Manytuil.

In an exclusive interview with Sudans Post following his defection, Maguek said he defected with at least 300 military and political officers who he said are frustrated with the leadership of Machar and that he expects more people to follow suit.

“I have defected to the SSPDF and SPLM under His Excellency President Salva Kiir Mayardit, President of the Republic of South Sudan, with more than 300 people. Most of them are military officers and some are politicians,” he said.

“Riek Machar has destroyed the SPLM-IO and when we defected, we didn’t know that it would be a family property as he has done now and this is the problem that he is trying to use everyone in the SPLM/SPLA (IO) to achieve his personal benefits,” Maguek added.

Sudans Post cannot independently verify the number of politicians and military officers who defected with Maguek. The office of the Unity State governor said the SPLA-IO officer defected to Kiir along with 200 officers.

Sudans Post has learned that General Bol Duoth Bakam and several others did not cross from SPLA-IO, but from the SPLM/SPLA (IO) Kitgwang faction led by General Simon Gatwech Dual who defected from Machar in 2021.

The senior SPLA-IO officer defected along with five other senior officers of the group: General Samuel Dok Wanjang, former SPLA-IO Division 4B in Southern Unity State, General Paul Gatnor Ngundeng, General Bol Duoth Bakam, General William Dak Gatkuoth Geer and General Kawai.

The defection is a major setback for Machar, who has been struggling to maintain control of the SPLM-IO. It also comes at a time when South Sudan is expected to hold its first democratic elections since obtaining independence from Sudan in July 2011.

Machar, a very influential politicians, is expected to run in the elections, though he hasn’t yet made his plans known over disagreement with Kiir as to if elections should be conducted in December 2024.