April 5, 2021(Nyamilepedia) — South Sudan United Front and Army, an armed group led by the former Chief of Staff Gen. Paul Malong Awan, is breaking down again as the newly appointed Deputy Chief of Staff for Military Moral Orientation, the Secretary General and others tendered in their resignations citing “poor management of the movement”.
According to a statement released by the former Spokesperson and the Secretary of Information and Communication, Amb. Nyamach Nyang Chuol, who replaced Dr. Sunday de John following a bitter split in September last year, more than six senior officials of Gen. Malong’s SSUF/A have resigned so far.
“Reference to the subject matter, we regret to inform your esteemed office that the following members have resigned from membership and posts in South Sudan United Front/Army with immediate effect” Reads part of the statement.
The senior members that have resigned are led by Maj. Gen. Philip Okuot, the SSUF/A Deputy Chief of Staff for Military Moral Orientation; Amb. Nyamach Nyang Chol, SSUF/A Spokesperson and Secretary of Information and Communications; Mr. Janyang Gatjiath Thoat, SSUF/A Secretary for Agriculture and Commerce; and members that include Maj. Gen. Kawai Babouth, Col. Owar Odolla and Col. Tong Akoon.
According to the disgruntled group, they had to resign to give “spoilers of SSUF/A” a chance.
“Due to poor management of the movement, the aforementioned group have [has] collectively decided to resign and give a chance to the spoilers of SSUF/A.” Read of their statement reads.
Since defecting from the government in May 2017, General Paul Malong has not found easy to lead a rebel movement.
Attempts to join General Malong by senior officials that included the former South Sudan Ambassador to Russia, Late Amb. Telar Ring Deng and the General Secretary of the Jieng Council of Elders, who served as a governor of Warrap State, Mr Louise Anei Madut Kuendit all failed within less than two years.
The South Sudan United Front/Army split up last September when the Secretary General, Dr. Sunday de John, broke away with many youth but Gen. Malong managed to reorganized; however, SSUF/A was immediately kicked out of the South Sudan Opposition Movement Alliance[SSOMA] due to internal crises and other allegations.
Despite the split, SSUF/A has continued to engage the government through the Rome’s Catholic Community of Sant’Egidio peace initiative that has been trying to hold talks between SSOMA and the R-TGONU both in Rome, Italy and also in Naivasha, Kenya.
At the time of this writing, Malong could not be reached to respond on behalf of SSUF/A
