July 17, 2020 (Nyamilepedia) – A senior member of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement in Opposition (SPLM-IO), has said that the nomination of General Johnson Olony by the group was not negotiable, saying the government was dragged its feet on the implementation of the revitalized peace agreement.
President Salva Kiir and his first deputy Dr. Riek Machar Teny who is also the SPLM-IO chairman agreed in June to the allocation of the states which had been a sticking point for the previous four months.
That agreement between Kiir and Machar gave the SPLM-IG under Kiir six states of Unity, Warrap, Lakes, Eastern Equatoria, Central Equatoria, and Northern Bahr el Ghazal. The SPLM-IO was given Western Equatoria, Upper Nile and Western Bahr el Ghazal states.
Jonglei was allocated to South Sudan Opposition Alliance (SSOA).
However, President Salva Kiir has rejected the Johnson Olony, the SPLM-IO nominee for Upper Nile state, and has demanded the replacement of the opposition general saying he is not a peace-loving person.
Speaking to Nyamilepedia this afternoon, Dut Majokdit, a senior member of the SPLM-IO, said the group has not any intention to replace General Olony saying his group’s choice for the Upper Nile state is not negotiable.
“There is nothing to be negotiated about our nomination of General Johnson Olony Thambo. The claim by the government that Olony was does not fit is mischief. I repeat, Olony’s nomination is not negotiable,” he said adding that the government was “tactically trying to delay and impede the implementation of the revitalized peace agreement.”
Dut revealed that the government has given a condition that Olony must first return to Juba in order to be appointed as governor. Dut however said the government demand is ridiculous because some governors were appointed in absence.
He said the whole opposition has not returned to Juba and only all those in Juba are there for the sack of peace implementation otherwise they would not returned to the capital now.
“General Johnson Olony cannot come to Juba unless he is appointed. The SPLM-IO has not fully returned to Juba because the implementation of the security arrangements has not been completed. On those who are in Juba are members of peace mechanisms,” he said.
