First Vice President Riek Machar claims he was kicked out by ‘peace spoilers’ from the SPLA/M-IO

First Vice President Riek Machar claims he was kicked out by ‘peace spoilers’ from the SPLA/M-IO

First Vice President Riek Machar has accused opposing military leaders of attempting to stymie the country’s peace process by announcing his deposition as leader of the SPLA/M-IO political party and the armed forces.

On Wednesday, after a three-day meeting of senior leaders from the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-in-Opposition (SPLM-IO) military wing this week, former chief of staff, First Lieutenant General Simon Gatwech Dual, was named interim leader of the opposition movement.

However, Machar responded Thursday, claiming that individuals who released the statement were no longer members of the movement’s military leadership council.

“It is sad that the proclamation was engineered and aided by peace spoilers,” Machar said during a meeting of his party’s Political Bureau, calling the declaration “ill-fated.”

He went on to say, “The Political Bureau assures members of the SPLM/A (IO) and the people of South Sudan in general that the situation is under control.”

Courtesy of Talkofjuba