Roundup: Faction of former South Sudan rebels consider "replacing" Machar

A section of Sudan People's Liberation Movement in Opposition (SPLM-IO) on Saturday endorsed ex-peace negotiator Taban Deng Gai to act as the First Vice-President in South Sudan's unity government despite a directive from the party chairman Riek Machar dismissing him.

The move follows a meeting held in Juba under the leadership of General Alfred Lado Gore who is second in command in a bid to implement the peace agreement which was signed in August 2015.

"In the temporary absence of the First VP Machar, the opposition leaders in Juba have nominated Taban Deng Gai to act as the first VP," Ezekiel Luol Gatkuoth, head of external affairs for SPLM-IO told journalists.

He said Gai promised to relinquish his new post if Machar who fled the recent fight in Juba, returns to take up his duties.

On his part, Gai said his nomination to be the acting vice-president in the unity government was to fill the vacant post as stipulated in the agreement and to continue with the implementation of the peace accord.

"I am assuring you that as the person who has participated in the liberation of this country, I will make sure that there is no going back to war," Gai said.

He appealed to the former rebel factions to join hands with him to persuade Machar to return to Juba. "I will step down and allow Machar to resume his position if he returns," Gai said.

He said he has been loyal to all leaders since 1983 during the liberation struggle that resulted in the secession in 2011.

Gai was among party members in Juba who issued a statement on Friday, asking Machar to either return to Juba and resume his duties, or face removal from office.

The latest move may escalate the political crisis in the world's youngest nation as it threatens to split the SPLM-IO into two factions, one faction that recognizes Gai as a valid member of the movement and the new first vice president, and the other faction remaining behind Machar.

Analysts say the rift between Machar and Gai raises fears of further crisis after months of fighting as some of the former rebel leader's senior appointees are backing Gai.

Machar had on Friday sacked Gai as minister for mining and expelled him from his position as member of the SPLM/SPLM -IO political bureau.

Machar told to party members and his military commanders on Friday evening to cut off any links with Gai whom he said had defected to President Salva Kiir's party.

"By his action of defection, I have therefore relieved him from his positions as member of the SPLM/SPLA-IO Political Bureau and as chairman of the National Committee for Reconciliation and Healing," Machar said in the letter to Kiir.

Gai was the chief opposition negotiator during the IGAD mediated peace efforts in Addis Ababa. The talks resulted into the signing of the Peace agreement to resolve the conflict in South Sudan.

President Kiir on Thursday gave Machar 48 hours to return to the country's capital Juba to continue work on implementation of the peace agreement they signed in August last year.

The former rebel leader left Juba last week following days of intense fighting that claimed lives of 272 people and displaced more than 30,000 others.

President Kiir has however pledged his full commitment to ensuring Machar's security while in Juba, following the fighting that erupted between rival troops just as the two leaders were meeting on July 8. Endit