Riek Machar, the leader of armed opposition Sudan People’s Liberation in Opposition (SPLM-IO) has appointed Henry Odwar as his deputy and Tingo Peter secretary general of his faction.
Odwar replaced General Alfred Lado Gore and Tingo replaced Dhieu Mathok Diing, who remained in Juba when violence conflict erupted in July 2016 at presidential palace.
Gore and Dhieu were the two most senior members of armed opposition who approved the nomination of Taban Deng Gai, to replace Machar after the expiry of the three days ultimatum by President Salva Kiir, demanding Machar to appear in Juba, or be replaced.
In the order released to the public on Thursday, Machar said he was acting in accordance with the resolution of the movement in September recommending restructuring of the leadership in order to allow reorganisation.
The new appointments have received reactions, with a faction loyal to Machar’s successor now in government denying they were removed from their positions and continue to portray themselves as the real members of the movement.
The former minister of housing, Mary Alphonse Lodira, said her congratulatory message on the appointment of the armed opposition officials that she was proud of their voluntary services.
“I want to take this opportunity to congratulate both of you for being entrusted with high positions in people’s popular resistant Movement IO. I have no single doubt in my mind that you deserve this recognition. A recognition that comes as being a volunteer in the movement is more important than a position given in exchange for money”, said Mary
The official continued that: “I am very proud of our youth and comrades who chose to remain consistent despite whatever the financial difficulties we have we remained closed to each other. It is this spirit of solidarity that would free the people of SS from Renk to Nimule and promoting civilized relations with our neighbours in the region and internationally”.
She extended her congratulatory message to Machar for consulting widely in order to make this decision, saying members of the Political Bureau recognize his listening capacity of which any decision becomes ‘ours’.