The South Sudan United Front/Army (SSUF/A) led by General Paul Malong Awan has split into two groups after a group calling itself the SSUF/A Nairobi Declaration announced the ouster of General Malong from the leadership of the movement.
In a statement on Saturday, more than 10 former SSUF/A Malong members from Upper Nile, Bahr El Ghazal, and Equatoria regions signed a new declaration as members of the SSUF/A Nairobi Declaration.
They installed Dickson Gatluak Nyuot, the former Deputy Chief of General Staff for Administration and Finance for SSUF/A led by Malong as the new leader of the outfit, accusing Gen. Malong of incompetency and lacking vision.
Speaking to Radio Tamazuj Monday, Dickson Gatluak, leader of SSUF/A Nairobi Declaration said they are for peace and reconciliation in the country.
“Our goal is to have peace with the government and reconciliation between the people of South Sudan, because we do not want war, and we must achieve peace,” he said. “We discussed with General Malong Awan many issues of the movement but he does not want change. That is why we decided to dismiss him and bring in new and young leadership.”
Dickson said that the new front under his leadership will soon decide the possibility of either joining the Rome talks or participating in a roundtable dialogue with the government for a ‘homegrown’ solution.
He claimed that the most prominent leaders of SSUF/A Malong have defected and joined his faction.
In response, Gen. Malong released a counter statement expelling five SSUF/A leaders named in the Nairobi Declaration statement.
“With your approach to entry into negotiations with theJuba regime is a betrayal and conspiracy from you to weaken SUF/A and as a futile attempt to undermine the leadership, which prompted this end to take this decision,” the statement obtained by radio Tamazuj reads in part.
“In light of this gross misconduct, that I Gen. Paul Malong Awan, Chairman and Commander in Chief of SSUF/A duly informed by these facts ordered the expulsion of the above-cited members from the rank and file of the SSUF/A according to article 20.7 of the Constitution,” it continued.
Those expelled include Guol Jial, Dickson Gatluak Nyuot, Philip Deng Kuol, Rambang Paul, and Nyagoa Tito Biel.
However, Dickson responding to the expulsion said: “Malong has no legitimacy to dismiss us from the front. We are fighting for young leadership in South Sudan. Malong has to retire because he has become incapable of leading the front.”