SPLM/A-IO defectors fire back at Machar

The SPLM/A-IO generals who defected to the SPLM cited bigotry as the reason for their defection.

The generals said this in their meeting with President Salva Kiir Mayardit yesterday.

Those who defected included Maj. Gen. Khor Chuol Giet, Maj. Gen. Kang Riek Diew, Maj. Gen. Lol Nguoth Chom, and the commissioner of Longechuk County, which was earlier reported to have been badly affected by floods.

According to the statement released by the office of the President, the head of the delegation from Longechuk County, Khor Chuol Giet, said that they were the ones who governed civilians and soldiers and that there was no SPLM/A-IO anymore in Gajaak areas.

“The head of the delegation, Khor Chuol Giet, told H.E. the President that they left SPLM/A-IO under Dr Riek Machar because they wanted to set their people free from tribal hatred and sectional conflicts projected on them by SPLM/A-IO under the leadership of Dr Riek Machar,” read the statement.

The delegation said that their people had suffered and therefore wanted peace, stability, and development for their people.

President Salva Kiir called on all citizens to embrace peace and shun fighting with one another.

Machar speaks

”President Salva Kiir Mayardit told the delegation of Malual Gahoth that all the tribes in South Sudan are his tribe and they are all his children and his people and urged that nobody should fight his brother again because he is from another tribe,” the statement continued.

In his speech during the meeting of the SPLM/A-IO National Liberation Council (NLC) at Freedom Hall yesterday, the First Vice President, Dr Riek Machar, who is also the chairman of SPLM/A-IO, said that most of the defections from his party were due to the love of possessions and positions of members who defected from his party.

He said that those who defected were those who did not have strong political will within the SPLM/A-IO and thus were swept by events.

He said that through patience and cooperation, the party will grow to have possessions like money and cars, which they desire. He added that the party members should sacrifice and support the party as they support themselves and their families.

“A person who does not have a strong political feeling towards his party, he will be swept by events, so, this is important…I saw it brought in the agenda part of it, how to resource the party is important, ” he said.

Series of defections

SPLM/A-IO has been receiving a series of defections from its members and army officers with claims of leadership gap.

Last month, 310 members of the SPLM/A-IO switched allegiance to the SPLM under President Salva Kiir Mayardit in Northern Bahr el Ghazal State.

The press secretary in the office of the governor of Northern Bahr el Ghazal State, Emmanuel Dhel Peter, noted that most of the parties had shut offices in the state due to a series of defections within the state.

“The huge number that the SPLM received was 310 members who resigned from SPLM-IO, Northern Bahr el Ghazal state. The SPLM Secretariat organised a welcoming ceremony yesterday. They are citizens of Northern Bahr el Ghazal State who were in the SPLM-IO, ” Dhel said.

“This one has shown that the SPLM in Northern Bahr el Ghazal State will always remain stronger. They say that they left SPLM-IO due to the poor political agenda in SPLM-IO and political objectives, ” he said.

He said what happened was not motivated by the directive of the First Vice President, Dr Riek Machar, to return the administration of Ajuet and Chimel to Aweil West County, which was disputed by some citizens and businessmen.

He stressed that the SPLM would win general elections because of the dwindling popularity of other parties.

In a statement released by the gubernatorial press unit, the new SPLM members said that they resigned from SPLM/A-IO because of the lack of political objectives in the party, a lack of equality, and a lack of mission and vision.

They pledged their loyalty to SPLM leadership in the state and the nation at large.

The group was welcomed through a ceremonial event organised by the SPLM State Secretariat under the auspices of State Governor Tong Akeen Ngor on Tuesday.

The welcoming ceremony was also attended by the State SPLM Interim Secretary, Stephen Ayaga, and members of the Liberation Council, State SPLM Secretariat, State SPLM Youth League, State SPLM Women League, and senior SPLM members.

Governor Tong Akeen Ngor assured new SPLM members of political training about party basic documents, objectives, and principles.

He advised SPLM members to embrace unity and peaceful coexistence as they relate to one another in the party.

Tong urged members of the SPLM in the state to help in the implementation of the Revitalised Agreement on the Resolution of Conflict in South Sudan.

 “Tong Akeen Ngor informed the members of the SPLM in Northern Bahr El Ghazal State to mobilise and recruit more members to the party to get prepared for the upcoming general elections, ” the statement continued.

“The state chairperson urged the members to maintain the spirit of unity, comradeship, and peaceful coexistence among themselves,” read the statement.