Juba, South Sudan,
June 21, 2021 – The SPLM-IO General Chief of Staff 1st. Lt. Simon Gatwech Dual has been appointed Presidential Advisor for Peace by President Salva Kiir Mayardit in a rare and least anticipated development.
Mr. Gatwech is an erstwhile loyalist of Dr. Riek Machar Teny Dhurgon, who is serving also as the First Vice President of the Republic of South Sudan and Chairperson of the SPLM-IO.
In May, however, Gatwech grew an ugly horn of insubordination to Machar, defying orders and implementing his own commands without consultations with Mr. Machar. The dispute was resolved later that month according to the party leadership.
Today President Salva Kiir Mayardit issued a Presidential decree read on the state-owned television South Sudan Broadcasting Cooperation appointing Gatwech as his advisor for peace.
The move has been applauded by many people congratulating Kiir and encouraging him to work with Gatwech collaboratively so that sustainable peace and stability are achieved in the country.
Meanwhile, an SPLM/SPLA-IO member described the move as a tactic to dismantle the SPLM/SPLA-IO movement.
Last month Gen. Gatwech issued a decree suspending the SPLM-IO head of military intelligence Maj. Gen Dhiling Keah over what he termed as interference in his affairs as Chief of the staff.
Dr. Machar denounced the suspension later and declared it null and void citing lack of legal basis adding that it was in his exercise as the Commander-in-Chief to mute activities of senior military personnel.
Nyamilepedia made unsuccessful attempts to reach Machar’s spokesman for comment.
