Juba, South Sudan
August 19, 2021 — The SPLM/A-IO Former National Chairperson for Information and Public Relations and former Deputy Minister of Interior, Cpt. Mabior Garang De Mabior, is calling on the Kitgwang military leaders to begin preparing to handover the SPLM/A-IO leadership they masterminded in Magenis to politicians who will then establish a civil administration.
In a statement seen by Nyamilepedia, Mabior Garang, who resigned from the unity government(R_TGoNU) last year, citing lack of political will to implementation the revitalized peace agreement, says the politicians, who defected to Kitgwang faction, are still waiting for the army to hand over political power to them.
“We who agree with the principles raised by the army in the Kitgwang Declaration are waiting for the army to hand over political power to a civilian administration. This we are confident will happen soon” Mabior said.
According to Mabior, Dr. Riek Machar was deposed by his army, not by politicians; however, he believes that the power will be handed over to civilians in no time by the military generals but that should not create rift with Dr. Machar or his supporters..
He further emphasized that though Machar was specifically mentioned in the peace agreement, disposing him from the top leadership should not be a problem, adding that it is not a power struggle.
“We are also aware that the FVP is mentioned by name in the Agreement – that is not the issue. The Kitgwang Declaration is not a struggle for power, it is a call for law and order in our land. Dr. Machar was only deposed by the peoples’ army as Chairman and Commander in Chief of the peoples’ struggle”, he emphasized.
Mabior Garang, who defected to Kitgwang faction under the leadership of Gen. Simon Gatwech Dual last week, reiterated that they will still respect Dr. Machar as an elder.
“This is politics. We still respect Dr. Riek Machar as an elder and we respect the constitutional post.” Mabior said.
He further emphasize that the Kitgwang faction is advocating for peace, not war, and as such the SPLM/A-IO Juba faction should give them a chance since their stay in Juba for three years was tolerated and it did not make a difference.
“What we are calling for is not war but peace. Our colleagues have been in Juba for three years now. We have given their version of peace a chance. All we are saying is, let us take another look” Mabior said.
