SPLA Chief of Staff Paul Malong remains thoroughly opposed to a peace deal that President Salva Kiir has said he would sign today in Juba, and objected to the deal in leadership meetings in recent days.
Malong showed dissatisfaction with the deal during a recent security council meeting and unsuccessfully tried to convince some of the members of the cabinet to reject the deal during Monday’s expanded leadership meeting involving state governors, and members of the allied political parties inside and outside the government.
Radio Tamazuj has been unable to confirm persistent rumours this morning that Malong was placed under house arrest today, but has confirmed that he did remain at home today, allegedly having threatened to withdraw his support from the president, whose spokesman said that the government would sign with reservations.
Malong and most of the Jieng Council of Elders, a group of influential Dinka politicians and relatives of Salva Kiir, have been trying in recent days to convince Kiir not to sign the agreement.
But the latter dispatched his security advisor Tut Gatluak to Khartoum and his vice president James Wani Igga to Kampala, and both reportedly came back with messages advising Kiir to sign.
The decision of Malong to remain in his house has been interpreted by some critics to mean he has been arrested on orders from Kiir. The dispute between the two men may have been a factor in the decision to convene an SPLM Political Bureau meeting today.
File photo: Paul Malong (Radio Tamazuj)
Update: Following publication of this article, Gen. Paul Malong did arrive at the IGAD signing ceremony yesterday.