President Kiir Meets Aqwelek leader gen. Johnson Olony weeks after his arrival in Juba/Courtesy

President Salva Kiir Mayardit on Wednesday met the Leader of Agwelek Forces Gen. Johnson Olony Thabo, appreciating him for his response towards building peace in the country, according to the presidential press unit.

Gen. Olony arrived in Juba mid-last month, 10 years after he took arms and joined Dr. Riek Machar following the 2013 violence.

However, after the 2018 peace deal, he parted ways with SPLM-IO,

Early Last year, the group alongside General Gatwech of the Kit-Gwang group separately signed a Khartoum Peace Agreement to end the factional conflict in Upper Nile and Jonglei states.

A month after the agreement, President Salva Kiir granted amnesty to Agwelek and Kit-Gwang forces of the SPLM/A –IO splinter group.

However,  Gatwech later abandoned the agreement after voicing reservations about the terms of the deal.

Citing President Kiir’s remark during his meeting with Gen Olony on Wednesday, the head of state said “We are happy that you have accepted to come to Juba to join the peace process. We want peace and we are ready and committed to pulling the country into the trajectory of peace and stability.”

President Kiir reportedly appealed to the leader of Agwelek Forces to be genuine if he truly accepted to join the peace process.

“We don’t want to see anyone going back to the bush, because South Sudan is too big and it has enough to cater for all of us.”

For Gen. Olony he came for peace and nothing else:  “….we want to truly tell you Mr. President that we have wholeheartedly come for peace and we don’t want other people.”