Addis Ababa/Pagak, February 21, 2015 (SSNA) — An intense consultation between rebel political and military leaders about a possible replacement of the Former Spokesman for the Sudan People’s Liberation Army-in Opposition (SPLA-IO), Brig. General Lul Ruai Koang, has been ongoing since late Thursday, the South Sudan News Agency (SSNA) has learned.
General Lul Koang, who accused South Sudanese rebel leader Dr. Riek Machar of asking for what he described as “impossible demands” unexpectedly deserted his position this week and joined the government.
Koang is currently in South Sudan’s capital, Juba.
After his defection, the SSNA has decided to launch an investigation into the selection process of who should take over the post and what requirements one needed to qualify for the Spokesmanship role.
The SSNA team has gained rare access to visibly furious rebel military Generals who all seem to agree on one thing: the next Spokesman for the SPLA-IO must be methodically and cautiously securitized before taking over the post.
The SSNA has also obtained names of ten candidates vying for the vacated post.
However, the top contenders are Yien Mathew B. Chuol, David Biel Jal, and James Lony Thichiot – deputy to the Former Spokesman.
The selection process, according to the SSNA’s investigations, is very much open to anyone who wants to be a Spokesperson for the military wing of the rebels.
The way it works is: people submit their resumes and the Chairman of the SPLM-IO, Dr. Riek Machar, with consultations with his military commanders appoints a person who he thinks qualifies for the position.
After talking to senior rebel military and political leaders, the SSNA team concluded that the discussion on who should take over the Spokesman position for the rebels’ movement is closely controlled by the rebel military command and the leadership of its political wing, the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-in Opposition (SPLM-IO).
General Lul’s replacement is expected to be announced within a few days.