Central Equatoria former sports minister Dabe Francis has defected to Riek Machar’s rebel movement, accusing the Kiir government of disavowing implementation of the peace agreement and committing atrocities.
In statement to Radio Tamazuj from the Kenyan capital Nairobi, Francis said he officially joined the armed opposition because of what Kiir and the Jieng Council of Elders are doing and their disavowal of implantation of the peace agreement and killing of the people of South Sudan.
Meanwhile, Puok Both Baluong, an official from the media office of the SPLM-IO in Nairobi welcomed the defection of the former sport minister, saying the move will push for change of the current leadership in the country.
“We welcome his defection to the SPLM-IO. We commend his move and patriotism. And it is a good move to change the current regime in Juba that is killing the innocent people,” said Baluong.