South Sudan’s mining minister resigned Wednesday, making him the first top official to quit the transitional government in the war-torn country.
Henry Odwar, who joined a unity government last year as a leading member of Machar’s SPLM-IO party, did not give a reason for his resignation in a statement released to the press. He is also the SPLM-IO movement's deputy chairman.
“With effect from today 24.00hrs, Wednesday, 11th of August, 2021, 1, Henry Dilah Odwar resign from being the Minister of Mining,” read the letter addressed to President Salva Kiir.
Mr. Odwar has been sick over the last several months and is receiving treatment abroad.
Puok Both Baluang, director of information and acting spokesman for First Vice President Riek Machar, confirmed to Radio Tamazuj on Thursday Odwar had “resigned” and joined a rival group in the SPLM-IO led by General Simon Gatwech Dual.
“Odwar was in contact with Machar about his resignation from the Ministry of Mining due to health reasons. But it came to our surprise that he joined the Kitgwang group that broke away from the SPLM-IO,” Puok said.
Odwar’s resignation from the unity government comes just days after deadly fighting erupted in Magenis between rival factions of the Sudan People’s Liberation Army-In Opposition (SPLA-IO).
This came after Machar’s rivals declared they had deposed him as the head of the SPLM-IO group and its military wing. Armed forces led by a rival general in the SPLA-IO, Simon Gatwech Dual, clashed with Machar’s soldiers.
The latest fighting in Machar’s own party threatens to put further pressure on the already fragile peace accord signed in September 2018.
The East African bloc IGAD warned Monday that the splintering of the SPLM-IO "is beyond an intra-party crisis and bears significant immediate and long-term implications" for South Sudan.