South Sudan: SSOA Denies Losing Members to Gatwech’s SPLA-IO Splinter Faction

Posted On: January 25, 2024
Posted By: Chol Mawel

The South Sudan Opposition Alliance (SSOA) has dismissed the allegations that 45 of its commanders and more than 120 soldiers have defected to Simon Gatwich’s SPLA-IO faction.

This is after some social media reports allege that 120 soldiers and 24 officers affiliated with the South Sudan Opposition Alliance (SSOA) shifted their military allegiance to SPLM-IO Kit-Gwang, led by General Simon Gatwech, in Akobo County.

However, Wany Makhor, the interim Secretary-General of the South Sudan Opposition Alliance, refuted the allegation, saying there has never been defection from his party.

“The South Sudan Opposition Alliance (SSOA), under the whole command of Denay Jock Chagor in Jonglei State, would like to categorically underline the following: There was no defection in Akobo County, as purported by a few frustrated, long-abandoned soldiers affiliated with SPLM-IO under Vice President Dr. Riek Machar Teny,” Makhor said.

Makhor added that the general who is alleged to have defected is not in a rank of the South Sudan Opposition Alliance

“The alleged Brig. Gen. Moses Mayen, who claimed to have left SSOA with 120 soldiers and 24 officers to Kit-Gwang, is not in the ranks and files of the South Sudan Opposition Alliance. All soldiers under SSOA are in their cantonment sites in Akobo County as well as in Uror and Nyirol, respectively,” he stated.

“Our troops in Akobo County and in Jonglei State at large are patriotic sons and daughters with intimate knowledge of numerous challenges our country is going through. Besides our chairman, who doubles as the Governor of Jonglei State, Denay Jock Chagor, had contributed immensely in negotiation and subsequently appended his signature to the current peace agreement that was re-titled as a roadmap.” Makhor added.

He further called on South Sudan’s peace partners to consider the allegations unfounded and not true.

“At this juncture, we would like to call our partners in peace to pay little attention to the concocted reports manufactured by antagonists of peace and stability in South Sudan. SSOA in Jonglei State is committed to the full and timely implementation of all provisions of the peace agreement as the country is parading for unfailingly free, fair and credible elections in December 2024,” Makhor stated.