Juba, South Sudan
August 11, 2021 — The interim Chairman and Commander-in-Chief of the South Sudan People’s Movement/Army (SSPM/A), Gen. Stephen Buay Rolnyang has decided to speak up on why he abandoned his former boss, Gen. Paul Malong Awan, despite pledging earlier to work under Malong who is being accused by his tribesmen for instigating what they called the massacre of the Nuer tribe in December 2013.
Gen. Buay decided to respond to critics following speculations that he might have abandoned his former boss to escape gross tribalism that is alleged to be practiced under Gen. Paul Malong Awan.
In response, he said the main reason is because he sees there is a high possibility for Gen. Malong to return to Juba to work under the leadership of Salva Kiir Mayardit without proper arrangement.
 The interim chairman of SSPM/A says his defection from Malong’s camp has nothing to do with tribalism therein nor he holds any personal grudge with his former boss but he says the main reason for his defection is because Malong is now in a serious negotiation with R-TGoNU under SSOMA umbrella which Gen. Buay is not ready to be part of.
“It is worth noting that my pulling out from the SSUF has nothing to do with the leadership struggle or tribalism within SSUF/A, nor do I hold personal grudges against General Paul Malong Awan”, Gen. Buay stated in a statement.
“The main reason that prompted me to pull out from Gen. Malong’s movement is that the SSUF/A is negotiating peace talks with the Revitalized Transitional Government of National Unity (R_TGoNU) under the SSOMA umbrella in Rome and they may definitely sign a peace agreement in the next coming months with ( R_TGoNU), but I can tell the people of South Sudan that I am not ready to return to Juba to work with President Kiir, because I just came from Juba two months ago in order to fight for a regime change and I cannot go to Juba without achieving the objective for which I started to fight the regime in our country “, he added in a statement.
Gen. Stephen Buay Rolnyang formed his armed rebellion, the South Sudan People’s Movement/Army, just three days after he pulled out from South Sudan United Front /Army under the leadership of Gen. Paul Malong Awan which he joined two months ago.
He calls for unity of purpose among the opposition group to work hands in hands to oust the current leadership which he accused of numerous malpractices.
