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

A political analyst has criticized SPLM-IG for signing a unilateral peace deal with SPLM-IO Kit-Gwang faction without involving other peace parties.

Andreas Mach Mabior says the Khartoum peace pact between the Kiir’s party and the breakaway faction of the main opposition party lack internal, regional and international support.

On Monday, the parties inked the deal which will see the splinter faction of SPLM/A-IO participating in the government at state and national levels.

The peace deal was signed by South Sudan Presidential Adviser for Security Affairs, Tut Gatluak and the head of SPLA-IO Kit-Gwang faction General Simon Gatwech Dual and his deputy, General Johnson Olony, the leader of Agwelek forces.

The two parties agreed on political representation of the group by allocating political position at the leadership level.

Others include the integration of the Agwelek forces into the SSPDF.

However, Andreas Mach wonders how the Kit-Gwang will be included in the 2018 allocations to the peace parties.

“This agreement should have been negotiated between the Transitional Government of National Unity and the Kit-Gwang group not the SPLM as a party with the Kit-Gwang group but that thing did not happened” Mach told Eye Radio on Thursday.

“Now if the SPLM party in Juba is signing the agreement with Kit-Gwang group where are you going to give them their quarter or participation in the government?”, he questioned.

Andreas says the agreement reached between two parties will likely prevent armed violence and further conflict in Upper Nile region.

But he says this will require the involvement of all parties to the national unity government.  

The 2018 peace agreement provides for the peace parties to work in a collegial spirit as opposed to taking unilateral decisions.