Tut Gatluck, Gen. Simon Gatwech, Shams El Din Al-Kabashi & Gen. Johnson Olony after the signing of the deal in Khartoum on Sunday 16th-Jan-2021. Photo credit: Gore Anthony/SSBC

The SPLM-IG and the holdout Kit-Gwang-Agwelek forces say they have started implementing the security arrangements, but former SPLA-IO General, Simon Gatwech expressed doubts over the process.

The move comes five months after the SPLM- In Government and the opposition factions signed peace pacts aimed at engaging the SPLM-IO fragments on ways to expedite the September 2018 peace accord.

The Kit-Gwang splinter group is led by General Simon Gatwech Dual, the former SPLA-IO Chief of General Staff, and deputized by General Johnson Olony of the Agwelek Forces.

However, the two generals signed separate agreements.

Speaking to Eye Radio, General John Odhong, who headed a delegation of SPLM-IG to Manyo County of Upper Nile said the integration of the opposition forces started.

“Yes, the 500 police , 100 from Kit-gwang and 400 from us this forces is meant for the border issue , so that the border should not be left like that when Kit-gwang move to the agreed areas in the agreement,” Odhong said.

The alleged integration process followed a meeting in the Gabaat area early this week.

“So we don’t want that area to be empty that those who signed the agreement agreed that area should not be empty.”

According to General Odhong, the Kit-Gwang group handed over 100 forces Monday to be deployed along the government forces in Kit-Gwang area.

“They are ready event part of their force has reached to areas agreed but for us will just take over Kit-Gwang head quarter and Kit-Gwang force of headquarters will go to the agreed area and we ready to take over” he said.

“All the arrangement are in place after order from the presidency in Juba, the coming days we will be in Kit-Gwang,” added the government military official.

The Khartoum peace deal signed in mid-January 2022 provided that the 2018 permanent cease fire agreement prevails and be maintained.

The agreement also called for the establishment of coordination offices in Bor and Malakal to enable for the reintegration of the forces into the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces.

General Johnson Olony, leader of the Agwelek forces had agreed with the government to maintain the borders of the Shilluk land as they stood on January 1, 1956.

They also agreed to maintain separate forces until preparations and arrangements are completed to reintegrate them into the SSPDF.

Meanwhile, Nyawello Lowny, who is a member of an Agwelek delegation to Gabat where the forces were integrated, confirmed the event.

“We as the Kit-Gwang delegation we move from here to Gabat as part of the agreement that has been signed in 16 January 2022 in Khartoum,

“We have brought police forces as part of the implementation of the security arrangement, we brought around 100 officers to Gabat and they will proceed to Renk to the center”

Manyo County Commissioner, Peter Awon said he witnessed the integration exercise.

Awon calls on Juba to speed up implementation of the agreement to restore peace and stability in the area.

However, the leader of the Kit-Gwang, Gen. Simon Gatwech Dual has expressed doubts over the ongoing security arrangements saying, the process is politicized.

“In the last three day Akol Koor said with his mouth that Agwelek is part of Kit-gwang and the forces of Agwelek to coming that is his politics” he said.

Speaking in a video interview with an online media, Gen. Gatwech demanded the return of his advance team who are in Juba.

“But I will see if  Agwelek forces go, then I will says something later on but now I will not say anything else I want peace and peace is important that I want my people to come back from Juba so that we can renew this, but if they refused then I’m the man of bush.”

In August 2021, the Kit-Gwang group announced Dr. Riek Machar’s ouster – claiming he no longer represented the interests of the group.