A prominent South Sudanese opposition lawmaker, Gatwech Lam Puoch, was arrested in the capital, Juba, on Tuesday afternoon, according to multiple sources.
Mr. Gatwech, a senior member of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-In-Opposition (SPLM-IO), represents Nasir County in Parliament.
He was taken into custody by the National Security Service (NSS) from his residence in the Thonypiny neighborhood and is being held at the Blue House, a notorious NSS detention center, sources confirmed to Radio Tamazuj this morning.
“The MP was taken from his residence in Thongpiny and is being held at the Blue House, the NSS detention centre,” one of the sources said.
Puok Both Baluang, the press secretary for First Vice President Riek Machar, confirmed the arrest but declined to provide further details.
Mr. Gatwech is a key figure within the SPLM-IO, the political party led by Mr. Machar, who serves as the country’s first vice president under the 2018 power-sharing agreement.
The arrest comes amid growing political friction between forces loyal to President Salva Kiir and those aligned with Mr. Machar.
Last week, clashes in Nasir, Upper Nile State, left several people dead, including a commander from the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF).
The violence has prompted a crackdown by President Kiir’s administration on allies of Mr. Machar, including the detention of the petroleum minister and several senior military officials.
Mr. Gatwech’s arrest appears to be linked to his recent political activities.
On February 20, he was among a group of lawmakers from Nasir and Ulang counties who called for the suspension of SSPDF deployments to Nasir. The lawmakers argued that local communities should be consulted before military forces are sent to their areas.
The developments have raised fears about the stability of the 2018 peace agreement, which ended a five-year civil war. The agreement established a unity government and outlined a path to elections, but progress has been slow.
Increased security around Machar’s residence
In a separate development, additional security forces have been deployed around the residence of First Vice President Riek Machar, according to multiple sources.
Approximately 42 NSS personnel were stationed around the compound this morning, though the reason for the deployment remains unclear.
Some sources suggested the move was linked to the burial of Majur Dak, an SSPDF commander killed in the recent clashes in Nasir. However, no official explanation has been provided.