Kitgwang Declaration

Since 2014, Gatwech has been the military chief of staff of the SPLM/A-IO and has grown hostile against Machar since the signing of the revitalized peace agreement in 2018.

Background

Since Machar's return to Juba from exile to form a unity government with President Salva Kiir Mayardit in February 2020, Dual begun speaking out against Machar for "compromising" key provisions of the revitalized peace agreement signed in 2018 such as the security arrangements in which rival forces of the opposition and the government were to be unified to form a professional national army.

In October 2020, Gatwech wrote to the IGAD, –the regional bloc which mediated the peace agreement that ended the war with Machar's appointment as vice president in February 2020– asking them to allow Machar to visit him to enable Machar to brief his forces about the implementation of the peace agreement.

The IGAD later issued a statement saying there were no restrictions in place against Machar and that he was free to visit anywhere of his choice. A few days later, Gatwech accused Machar of intentionally refusing to visit him and in June, an attempt to remove the opposition's military intelligence chief, Dhiling Keah Chuol, by Gatwech led to a rumored that Gatwech would be removed as chief of staff.

Days later, President Kiir appointed Gatwech as presidential envoy on peace after nomination by Machar. Machar's office later announced that Gatwech had been replaced as chief of staff of the opposition military deepening the disagreements within the group.