“Hon. Chol Thon’s Appointment Is A blatant Violation Of R-ARCSS”,- SPLM-IO Spokesperson

The Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-In Opposition (SPLM-IO) Spokesperson, Puok Both Buluang has responded to the appointment of the Defence Minister saying that it is a violation of the peace agreement.

President Kiir on Wednesday evening appointed General Chol Thon Balok from the SPLM party as a new minister of defense and veteran affairs in a Republican decree read on the state-owned TV, SSBC.

This comes weeks after swapping two ministries, the Ministry of Defence to the SPLM party and the Ministry of Interior to SPLM-IO through a Presidential decree.

However, the swapping was rejected by SPLM IO according to its extraordinary meeting.

Reacting to the Republican decree on a social media post, the spokesperson of SPLM IO has described the appointment of Chol Deng Thon as the new minister of defense and veteran affairs as a violation of the peace agreement adding that Kiir and Machar did not have a breakthrough during their meetings over Angelina Teny’s sacking and swapping of the ministries, defence to SPLM and interior to SPLM IO.

“No breakthrough was reached at all meetings between President Salva Kiir & FVP Dr. Riek Machar Teny-Dhurgon to overcome the current deadlock,” Buluang said.

He, therefore, described the appointment of Chol Thon Balok as a blatant new violation of R-ARCSS in his post.