Gen. Johnson Olony | File picture

The Kitgwang faction of SPLA-IO says it is willing to negotiate with the SPLM under President Salva Kiir to expedite the full implementation of the September 2018 peace deal.

The splinter group is under Gen. Simon Gatwech Dual, the former SPLA-IO Chief of General Staff; and Gen. Johnson Olony of the Agwelek forces.

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

There have been reports of deadly fighting between their forces and those loyal to Dr. Machar in Magenis area in Upper Nile State where the group is based.

“All we want is peace in the country. So we are going to negotiate with the government for the interest of peace,” Gen. Olony told Eye Radio on Wednesday.

“We respect Salva Kiir because we voted for him to be president. But not saying we are going to join the government; we are following up with the government to find a way for peace to prevail.”

Olony also revealed that the Kitgwang faction conference slated for October 30 has been postponed to a later date in order to allow the group to negotiate with the government.

The conference was initially to be attended by Paul Malong, Thomas Cirilo and Stephen Buay, among other leaders of the holdout groups.

Some of the pending provisions include the reunification of forces, full establishment of state governments, and a permanent constitution.

Other reforms include the reconstitution of independent commissions, repatriation and reparation for people displaced by the war.

The unity government was supposed to embark on economic sector reforms, including the formation of women and youth enterprise funds to empower a strong private sector.

The hybrid court to provide justice for victims of the 2013 and 2016 violence has also not yet been set up.