Gatwech ‘unshaken’ by Gen. Makuach defection
The SPLM/A-IO faction under Lt. Gen. Simon Gatwech said the movement is not shaken by the recent defection of Gen. James Makuach to the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) under the command of President Salva Kiir.
In an exclusive interview with The City Review, the Chairperson of Information and Mobilisation Committee of SPLM/A-IO Kit Gwang faction, Brig. Chuol Deng Thon, said, unlike its defected cadre, the group is not after positions.
The Chairperson rubbished the statement by Makuach that the Gatwech-led movement was clueless and has no political direction.
“Kit-Gwang is not after the positions. Our problem is the implementation of the agreement so the claim of Gen. Makuach is not true. We have the political will and that is why we have come back to implement the peace in order to end the suffering of South Sudanese,” he said.
Thon said the SPLM/A-IO Kitgwang faction was not established on the basis of commercial politics.
“We are not like others who take rebellion as a business or supper market. Gen. Makuach is considered as a person who left the room for the verandah because we are all in the government. So where is he going to?’’ Thon asked.
Makuach defected from the SPLM-IO Kit-Gwang faction and joined SSPDF this week with hard-hitting statements against his former party, including claims of lack of vision by its leaders.
In a statement to the media, Gen. Makuach stressed that standing behind President Salva Kiir Mayardit and the implementation of the revitalised peace agreement signed in 2018 is the only way to take South Sudanese towards peace and stability.
“Last year, I made the decision to join the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/Army in Opposition (SPLM/SPLA-IO) under General Gatwech Dual Hoth and General Johnson Olony to advance what were then tactical delays for the implementation of the R-ARCSS because we were made to believe that he was for the full implementation of the revitalized peace agreement,” he said.
“Now, it is not clear as to whether the group is for peace or for war and as such, Today, I regret to inform the public that I have decided to switch sides from the Kit Gwang group and join the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF) under the leadership of His Excellency President Salva Kiir Mayardit,” he stated.
Makuach was the Minister of Culture and Heritage when South Sudan gained its independence in July 2011. He stayed in that position until President Kiir sacked his entire cabinet in July 2013 sparking a power struggle within the ruling Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) which split into several groups following the outbreak of violence in December 2013.
Makuach then fled to join the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement in Opposition (SPLM-IO) under First Vice President Dr Riek Machar Teny before defecting from the group around 2016.
Last year, he decided to join Gen. Simon Gatwech Dual, accusing Machar of working against the principles on which basis the SPLM-IO was established and derailing the peace process.
