First Vice President and leader of Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-in opposition (SPLM-IO), Riek Machar Teny has called on the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) to intervene to resolve the ministerial dispute with President Salva Kiir.
In a letter dated 30th March 2023, addressed to Gen. Abdel Fatah Al Burhan, Chairman of IGAD Assembly of Head of State and Government, Machar requested the regional bloc to swiftly intervene to resolve what he calls “grave violations putting R-ARCSS in jeopardy.”
“In the light of this, I am requesting the intervention to resolve these grave violations putting R-ARCSS in jeopardy,” Machar said in the letter.
He said President Salva Kiir has unexpectedly interrupted the ongoing negotiation to resolve the dispute over the ministry of defense and veterans affairs which is given to the SPLM-IO under the 2018 revitalized peace agreement.
On March 3rd, President Kiir sacked Angelina Teny the wife of Machar from the defense ministry and recently went ahead appointing Gen. Chol Thon Balok from his SPLM party as the new minister of defense.
“I am writing to inform you that President Salva Kiir has unexpectedly interrupted the ongoing negotiation to resolve the recent violation by appointing a new minister of defense and veteran affairs on 29th March 2023, compounding the already existing deadlock,” Machar said.
In the aftermath of Angelina Teny’s sacking, her party the SPLM-IO had requested President Kiir to revoke Gen Thon’s appointment, saying it was a unilateral decision made without wider consultation among the parties to the revitalized peace deal.
