Juba, January 12, 2016 (SSNA) — The former chief administrator of Pibor’s area and leader of SSDM/A-Cobra faction, Gen. David Yau yau, has handed over the leadership of his armed opposition to Major General Paulino Zangil who opposed any peace deal between Juba and Cobra-faction.
The move that was announced by Yau Yau in Juba asa dissolution of the party’s structures and merging his ranks with government is considered by Paulino’s camp as "surrender."
General Paulino, who broke away from cobra-faction mainstream in 2014, announced his allegiance to the Country’s main armed opposition led by Dr. Riek Machar Teny.
The leader of Cobra-Faction’s splinter group also accused Yau Yau and president Salva Kiir of dishonouring the peace deal that was signed by SSDM/A and South Sudanese government.
During his defection, Gen. Paulino, a former colonel under Yau Yau’s previous leadership, announced that he was joining SPLM/A-IO with a sizeable force of cobra-faction. He vowed to have disowned Gen. YYu Yau and the rests of other Generals in the ranks of SSDM/A cobra-faction and declared himself as the new commander-in-chief of the Cobra-faction.
In a surprise move, Gen. Paulino brands Yau Yau a “gambler and an opportunist.”
“I knew this gambler was headed to nowhere, he had no vision, he is an opportunist whose goal is just to get any salaried position anywhere from anybody,” Gen. Paulino asserted.
The leader of Cobra-Faction’s splinter group further declared that cobra-faction still exists.
“Although we are in one boat with Dr. Riek Machar, cobra still exists; as the integration process is ongoing, incorporation process of our vision to create a free federal and democratic Republic of South Sudan is ongoing too,” narrates Paulino.
“Until all the two processes are done, cobra-faction shall exist,” he added.
The self-declared leader of Cobra-faction Paulino claims that Generals David Yau Yau, James Kongkong Loden, and Khalid Boutrus Bora made an abrupt announcement of their allegiance to the SPLM/A-IO on Monday.
Attempts by the South Sudan News Agency (SSNA) to independently verify the claims went unanswered.