SPLM-IO says Taban ‘has no legitimate and significant grounds’ to call off peace implementation 

JUBA – South Sudan’s main armed opposition group, SPLM-IO, has accused vice-president Taban Deng Gai of trying to derail the implementation of the revitalized peace agreement saying the former first vice-president has no legitimate grounds to call off for the implementation of the revitalized peace agreement that brought about a relative instability following the formation of the unity government in February last year.

This comes after a group of lawmakers loyal to Taban accused President Salva Kiir Mayardit of violating the revitalized peace agreement after their exclusion from state governments which they said violate their share of power as provided for the 2018 peace agreement.

In an exclusive interview with Sudans Post this afternoon, Dut Majokdit, a member of the SPLM-IO National Liberation Council and a close ally of First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar Teny said the vice-president is trying to create another situation that will jeopardize the implementation of the revitalized peace agreement saying Taban has not legitimate and significant grounds to call off the implementation of the revitalized peace agreement.

“What I am seeing is that Taban and his group are trying to create a situation in which the peace implementation is compromised and people return to war,” Majokdit said. “This is not good for a person holding a very important position in the unity government that was formed because of the peace he is calling to be suspended. So far, I believe he has no legitimate grounds to call off for the implementation of the revitalized peace agreement.”

The senior opposition official said the vice-president should only blame the SPLM-IG leader, Salva Kiir, who he said has the right to nominate any person of his choice within the ruling faction, saying the vice-president should not demand for a separate representation because he has previously announced the dissolution of his group to join the SPLM-IG.

“Taban should not make noise to demand for suspension of the agreement and he should also understand that the agreement has many stakeholders and it is not Salva Kiir alone who own the agreement. We have the SPLM-IO, the SPLM-IG, the SSOA, the OPP, and the Former Detainees who all participated in the revitalization forum in Addis Ababa leading to the revitalized peace agreement,” he said.

“He should not also make efforts to undermine the peace deal because he has dissolved his faction and joined President Salva Kiir’s group, and this mean President Kiir has all the prerogative to nominate any person of his choice to all the positions allocated to his group,” he added.