Top SPLM-IO politicians led by Machar’s deputy join Kitgwang faction

JUBA – A group of South Sudan opposition politicians led by deputy chairman of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement in Opposition (SPLM-IO) Henry Odwar has declared its intention to join the Kitgwang Declaration.

The Kitgwang declaration saw former chief of staff of the SPLA-IO General Simon Gatwech Dual to replace Machar in what has been described by Machar’s allies in Juba as a coup plotted by ‘peace spoilers’ to divide the powerful opposition group.

Early on Wednesday, Odwar resigned as South Sudan’s minister of mining from the Revitalized Transitional Government of National Unity (R-TGONU) without elaborating reasons behind his decision.

He was nominated on the ticket of the SPLM-IO to the unity government.

Those who defected with him include Goi Jooyul Yol, a member of the SPLM-IO Political Bureau and head of the group’s national committee for education, Augustino Laku, a member of the national liberation council and Tut Puok Nyang who is also a member of the NLC.

In their statement, the group said they are “troubled and disturbed by Dr. Riek Machar’s weak and compromised leadership quality that failed former Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/Army – Nasir Faction, South Sudan Independent Movement (SSIM), and now threatening the SPLM/A – (IO).”

They further said that they are “alarmed and dismayed by the silence exhibited by Dr. Machar during the indefinite detention and Restriction of Movement by the IGAD Heads of State which is construed as a weakness of SPLM/A – (IO), and interpreted as a surrender.”