SPLM-IO says Machar not travelling to Juba on 19 November

November 13, 2015 (ADDIS ABABA) – South Sudanese armed opposition faction of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM-IO) has refuted allegations that their top leader, Riek Machar, will travel to Juba on 19 November accompanied by the Ethiopian Prime Minister, Haile Mariam Desalegn.

On Thursday, president Salva Kiir’s press secretary, Ateny Wek Ateny, told Sudan Tribune that the opposition leader, Machar, would visit Juba on 19 November for a one-day visit and leave on the same day.

However, Machar’s spokesman refuted the claim, saying the leadership had not been informed about the visit.

“This is not true. My chairman has not been informed about the alleged visit to Juba,” James Gatdet Dak, opposition leader’s spokesman, told Sudan Tribune on Friday.

He said the arrangement is for the advance team to arrive in Juba first as well as resolve some of political and security issues in the peace agreement before the top leader could return to the country.

Dak further explained that the opposition leader would return to Juba only when the time is right to form a transitional government of national unity with president Salva Kiir.

The SPLM-IO announced that an advance delegation of 500 officials to be sent to Juba by mid-November. But Juba said not yet ready to receive them and asked to delay for two more weeks.

(ST)