In a statement issued Friday, Mr Gregory, without making a direct reference to the South Sudan People’s Movement/Army (SSPM/A) chairman, dismissed those issuing threats from outside formal institutions, saying they were mistaking rhetoric for real strength.
His remarks came hours after Rolnyang announced that his forces had entered a phase of “readiness for confrontation,” saying the movement was now armed and prepared.
“Those who thunder from the shadows with hollow threats mistake noise for strength,” Gregory said. “Their words carry the same tired echo we have heard for decades—loud, repetitive, and ultimately empty.”
The defence undersecretary questioned the professionalism of those who resort to public threats, arguing that serious military commanders demonstrate capability through conduct rather than statements.
“No disciplined force, no seasoned commander, and no statesman forged in the trials of real conflict speaks in such shallow tones,” he said. “This is not the language of professionals; it is the language of those who have long abandoned the honour and restraint that define true military service.”
Gregory’s comments draw political significance because Rolnyang himself once held senior command positions inside the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA), now the SSPDF, and later within the Ministry of Defence before falling out with the state.
Rolnyang served as commander of the SPLA First Infantry Division in Renk in 2013 before being transferred a year later to command the Fourth Infantry Division in Bentiu. He later became Director-General of Procurement at the Ministry of Defence and Veterans Affairs and was involved in securing oil fields during the civil war.
On 18 May 2016, Rolnyang and Joseph Manyuat Manydhol were arrested after allegedly refusing an order from the Governor of Unity State to break the ceasefire and violate the August Peace Agreement. In 2017, he was reassigned again to the Fourth Infantry Division before later taking command of the Fifth Infantry Division in Wau in 2018 during a period of violent unrest.
Gregory appeared to reference such records when he said military capability was known through history rather than announcements.
“We know each other well. We know the paths we have walked, the decisions we have made, and the weight each of us carries,” he said. “Capability is not a rumour—it is a record. And that record speaks louder than any statement issued from afar.”
He further criticised individuals who, in his words, had become associated with division instead of national progress.
“Those who now attempt to posture with threats have long been known—not for achievement, but for obstruction; not for unity, but for division,” Gregory stated. “Trust, once lost through repeated failure, is not easily restored by words alone.”
The undersecretary called for stability and responsible leadership as South Sudan moves toward a politically tense period ahead of the proposed 2026 elections.
“The people of South Sudan deserve stability, integrity, and leadership grounded in responsibility—not performances driven by ego or grievance,” he said.
