Sep 26, 2020(Nyamilepedia) — The former Secretary General of South Sudan United Front, Dr. Sunday de John, one of the founding members of SSUF/A, has declared ousting his former boss, Chairman and Commander-in-Chief of the South Sudan United Front/Army, Gen. Paul Malong Awan.
“In a sitting by members of the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the South Sudan United Front/Army on September 23rd, 24th, 25th 2020 it was resolved that Gen. Paul Malong Awan’s role as the Chairman and Commander-in-Chief of the South Sudan United Front/Army is terminated effective immediately” A press statement by the group states.
The medical doctor from the University of Nairobi, Emmanuel Sunday de John, has now installed himself as the new Chairman and Commander in Chief of SSUF/A, a call that seems to resonate well with the rest of the South Sudan Opposition Movement Alliance(SSOMA).
The SSUF/A has been managing an internal crises for the past many months since the Rome Declaration that was signed in Hague on January 12 2020 by the South Sudan Opposition Movement Alliance.
The SSOMA that signed the Rome Declaration comprised of the Real-SPLM led by Pa’gan Amum, National Salvation Front (NAS) led by Gen. Thomas Cirilo Swaka and South Sudan United Front/Army (SSUF/A) led by Gen. Paul Malong Awan.
The group of SSUF/A of Paul Malong, popularly known by his supporters as King Paul, was represented by Sunday de John but since the days of Rome, SSUF/A lost confidence in Sunday and began to accuse him of working under the table with the government of Salva Kiir which led to his termination that surfaced earlier this week.
As this internal crisis boils down, Sunday wrote a lengthy version of the account explaining what really happened; however, the group declared that it has moved on to replace Sunday with other loyal candidates but now Sunday has responded by firing the leader of the group and declared himself as the Chairman and the Commander in Chief.
Also read: Suspension of Dr. Sunday de John was a conspiracy!
In the latest declaration titled, “Dismissal of Gen. Paul Malong Awan as Chairman and Commander-in-Chief, South Sudan United Front/Army”, Sunday and the group accused Paul Malong of numerous mischiefs.
They said “Malong has no well-developed policies, strategies and programmes and that his rebellion was only informed by personal sentiments and should cease stagnating the progress of the movement”
“South Sudan United Front/Army is revolving around Malong. He only wants members to be around him to further his personal objectives as he awaits the successful outcome of their toil and take credit for that” The group explains.
The group further accused Malong of chasing the government desperately hard to wheel himself back into Salva Kiir government at the expense of a handful young men and women who are currently supporting him.
They have further accused him of running the group with an iron fist and also as a family enterprise – a phrase that is very famous in South Sudan politics where leaders are surrounded by their family members for their own protection.
“He is running SSUF/A not only dictatorially but as a family enterprise”
“He is working excessively in undermining the partners in the South Sudan Opposition Alliance(SSOMA) on the basis of them being Non-Dinka. This is in contravention of the principle of nationhood, one people, and one nation as enshrined in the SSUF/A basic documents including its ample Manifesto”
Malong was a former Chief of Staff of the army, a brutal one that kept president Salva Kiir on his feet, and a famous politician in his home region of Bhar el Ghazal; however, he has felt out with president Kiir and many politicians in Northern Bhar el Ghazal.
Although the young politician, Sunday John, is barely known, Salva Kiir leadership prefers young and inexperienced opposition leaders compared to the experienced ones as it was witnessed in the breakdown of Lam Akol, Changson Lew and Bapiny Manytuil alliance called SSOA in Juba.
As SSOA leadership began scrambling over their share, two new faces in the name of Denay Chagor and Abdelbagi Hussein emerged into some of the prominent positions in the country.
Unlike the South Sudan Opposition Alliance(SSOA), the South Sudan Opposition Movement Alliance(SSOMA) is still operating mainly outside the country with exception of NAS of Thomas Cirillo which has pockets of army in the Equatorian region.
