Akol Paul, a member of the South Sudanese government's reception team for Riek Machar says they were surprised when the head of the SPLM-IO Advance Team in Juba Taban Deng informed them this morning that Riek Machar would not arrive in Juba today.

In an interview with Radio Tamazuj, Akol Paul said, “So this has surprised us as government team responsible for the reception of Riek Machar. We planned to receive him and take him to the State House to take oath so that the transitional government is formed and the implementation of peace agreement begins.”

SPLM-IO's Advance Team said this morning that Machar would not arrive in Juba until tomorrow. Later, howevever, the movement's top spokesman in Nairobi told Radio Tamazuj at about midday that Machar is still planning to come to Juba today.

According to Akol, the SPLM-IO Advance Team chief Taban Deng informed them that Riek Machar’s return was postponed because the SPLA-IO Chief of Staff couldn’t come to Juba ahead of him. Akol added that Taban later called them back saying that they were still working on the arrival of Machar for today, not for tomorrow as earlier announced.

“But it is too late, it is now 50% between his arrival and postponement of his arrival, so this depends on the SPLM-IO, it is their own internal issue,” said Akol Paul.

The government official explained that the people of South Sudan are happy to receive the armed opposition leader, saying his arrival would bring an end to the civil war.

He denied reports that a group within Kiir’s government is against implementation of the signed peace deal. Akol reiterated his government’s commitment to implement the peace agreement signed the opposition faction in August last year.

File photo: Akol Paul (center)