SUMMARY

SPLM/A-IO - Kitgwang Faction (Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-in-Opposition - Kitgwang Faction) was an armed group under the leadership of Simon Gatwich Dual. The group sought to dismiss Riek Machar as the chairman of SPLM/A-IO, and, consequently, as the vice-president of South Sudan. The Kitgwang Faction was based in Upper Nile’s Magenis area, where the majority of Gatwich’s forces were based. The group consisted of Shilluk and Nuer clans.

On 3 August 2021, the Chief of General Staff of the SPLM/A-IO, Simon Gatwich Dual, issued the Kitgwang Declaration, where he removed Riek Machar from his position and declared himself as the interim leader of SPLM/A-IO. He also appointed Johnson Olonyi, commander of SPLM/A-IO Sector I, as his deputy. The Declaration criticized Machar’s leadership skills, accused Machar of nepotism and of making self-interested decisions where he benefited the SPLM/A-IO elite based in Juba rather than focusing on the well-being of the entire country. The Declaration was signed by few of the commanders of the SPLM/A-IO sectors. Machar refused the Kitgwang Declaration, hence, kept his position. The tension between Gatwich and Machar led to the creation of a splinter group.

Gatwich received a broad support from the SPLM/A-IO’s ground troops, especially the ones from his own Lou Nuer constituency. However, the majority of SPLM/A-IO forces across the country remained loyal to Machar, which allowed him to keep the control of his areas within the country.

SPLM/A-IO – Kitgwang Faction has been involved in the intrastate category of UCDP organized violence.