Feb 4th, 2018(Nyamilepedia)Â —– Former rebel officials, Hon. Ezekiel Lol Gatkuoth and Gen. Gat-hoth Gatkuoth, who are currently serving in Salva Kiir’s regime in the national capital, Juba, found their ways to Maiwut earlier this week in attempt to mobilize the local community to support Kiir and Taban government and fight the armed opposition, SPLM/A(IO) under the leadership of Dr. Riek Machar Teny.
Gen. Gathoth Gatkuoth Hothnyang, a controversial commander who has shifted allegance between various camps more than 7 times in the past few years, and now serving as the Minister of Labour, Public service and Human Resource Development in Juba, gave a long speech that has gone viral on social media for the past two days.
In his speech, Gat-hoth claims that Dr. Riek Machar Teny, his former boss, is not a Nuer as recorded but a Dinka from Duk Padiet calling him a snake and a satan that Nuer should not waste their time following.
To drive his point home, Gen. Gat-hoth said he recently met Dr. Riek Machar’s paramount Chief among the Hol Community of Duk Padiet during his mission with Taban to Yuai and Ayod.
Gen. Gathoth has defected to Dr. Machar’s camp both in 1991 and 2013 and redefected to SPLM/A main stream in both cases leaving Dr. Machar behind, however, it is not clear why it took him so long to discover that Machar was a satan and not worth following.
Towards the end of his speech, Gat-hoth reputes claims that he is a “Nuer-wew”, which literally translates to “food-fighter, Nuer of money” or someone who serves his personal interests at the expense of his people or greater good.
Recollecting a past story in Malakal in which he claims that he has finished all Mathiang Anyoor repeatedly saying that Dinka do not have a white army, Gathoth reminded his audience of what he did he in Upper Nile warning that no Nuer can call him a “Nuer-wew”.
During his short era in SPLM/A-IO Gen. Gat-hoth made headlines as he captured Malakal with his white army and troops three times and “wiped out” a big number of Mathianganyoor who were rushed through training with hopes to maintain control of major towns.
Gen. Gat-hoth also persecuted and sentenced President Salva Kiir and his senior generals to death in absentia through court-martial in his Longuchuk military court and hoped to implement his order before the end of the year 2014.
After falling out with Gen. Taban Deng Gai in May 2015, in which Gat-hoth blamed Gen. Taban of refusing to give him office of logistics and resources to coordinate war in Upper Nile, Gen. Gat-hoth and Gen. Gatdet Yaka moved out of SPLM/A(IO) to form their own movement, however, the two later felt apart.
After falling out with Gen. Peter Gatdet Yaka, Gathoth moved on with Hon. Changson Lew Chang until Gen. Gat-hoth defected again to Juba leaving both Peter Gatdet and Changson in exile.
Gat-hoth has been constantly disowned by his community for switching sides but he cares less about what the community says except being called a “Nuer-wew”.
Public Reaction To Gen. Gathoth Speech
After watching Gen. Gat-hoth’s speech on social media many intellectuals including those on the government side went viral calling the Minister many nasty names.
While some were provoked by statements which generalize either Dinka or Nuer tribes, others were angered by his call for more war to eliminate armed opposition, SPLM/A-IO in Maiwut State and adjacent counties.
Below are a few examples of reactions on Facebook.
3 comments
Gen Gat hoth Gatkuoth is a confused general and why is accusing Riek Machar as Dinka while he is selling the other Nuers to the Dinka-led tribal government that murdered thousands of Nuer civilians?
Dear all, yes, sometime there are some lucky ones who are able to get into public eyes though not worth of value. It is not all who get into the position are the one worth following. It is the Lord generous gift to give even the worthless one. Is the food now become more important than people? That wouldn’t work in front of my face anyone who thinks through the same channel is on the wrong side of era. During my time frame on earth before The Lord decided to stamp my time I will let no useless have a ticket. Keep that seriously with you, I am not hidden from anybody nonsense but warn seriously that I am not as simple as you might think. Whether you see me in person or just hearing, my position does not change and will not allow anyone to try to ruin others people lives in my spiritual watch.
Gen, Gathoth Gatkuoth was right in some how saying, the family of Dr. Riek Machar Teny were Dinka but on one hand, he was wrong to say that, the family of Dr. Riek Machar came from Duk Padiet in Hol community because the former fist vice president had said many times that, he has a blood with Dinka. His family background original from Tonj East in Luacjang community and if anyone disagree with this statement please ask Dr. Riek Machar and he will tell you for sure. I known this history in Tonj because I am Dinka of Tonj. According to that story, his family moved from Tonj East and a cross border to Leer, some of his families separated in to Adok community and many others in Nuer societies but they were from Tonj East community and not Duk Padiet in Bor. Gen, Gathoth Gakuoth is not the only complains about Dr. Riek Machar’s background family but also there are many people within Nuers came up saying, the families of Dr. Riek Machar should and must returned back to Tonj community adding, he has caused more problems to Nuers people this is what some people are saying on the ground there. Remember one thing, Dr. Riek Machar went to Tonj North since he was the Zonal commander and went again during the time when he was a vice president and he held meeting in Lou Dinka from Tonj North county this is the fact. His grand grand parents originally from Dinka of Tonj East once again and he had said it many time during interview.