SPLM-IO confirms Kiir has accepted General Olony’s appointment as Upper Nile state governor  

JUBA – South Sudan’s main armed opposition group, SPLM-IO, has confirmed that President Salva Kiir Mayardit has accepted to appoint General Johnson Olony Thabo as governor of the country’s Upper Nile state, and he will do so anytime soon.

Olony, a controversial opposition commander in Upper Nile state, was nominated by First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar Teny, a peace partner to Kiir and the SPLM-IO leader, on June 24.

Kiir who is not in good terms with Machar rejected Olony saying the embattled opposition commander is a warmonger who he said will jeopardize reconciliation efforts between the already hostile Upper Nile state communities.

However, President Salva Kiir appeared to have changed his mind last week when South Sudan deputy finance minister, Agok Makur, who is in Khartoum, said he met Olony to inform him that President Salva Kiir had accepted Olony’s appointment.

Speaking to Sudans Post this afternoon, Dut Majokdit, a senior SPLM-IO member who is on a peace mission in Juba, confirmed President Salva Kiir Mayardit has accepted to appoint Olony, saying the opposition commander will anytime soon be appointed as governor.

“I am not sure of when exactly he will be appointed, but the President has agreed to appoint General Johnson Olony as Governor of Upper Nile State,” Majokdit said, adding: “Olony is most likely to be appointed anytime soon.”