He was said to have wanted to become the Koch county commissioner, but lost this opportunity when Taban Deng Gai was appointed governor of Unity state in 2008.
In the April 2010 general elections, Taban Deng Gai successfully defended his governorship[1] against challenger Angelina Teny, wife of South Sudan vice president Riek Machar.
[1] It was suspected that Gatluak Gai led the forces responsible for attacks that killed over 35 people, including many civilians, in Koch County.
However, on 24 July, Marko Chuol Ruei, second in command of the rebel South Sudan Liberation Army (SSLA), said he had killed Gai.
Ruei said the SSLA had been negotiating with Khartoum for supply of munitions, but had been told they would first have to join the rebel militias led by Peter Gadet and Bapiny Monytuel.