General Stephen Buay appointed secretary of defense of Malong-led opposition group

JUBA – Former South Sudan army commander General Stephen Buay Rolnyang has been appointed by General Paul Malong Awan Anei of South Sudan United Front/Army as the movement’s secretary of defense.

Buay was a highly respected South Sudan army commander who was stripped of his rank and dismissed from the service in 2019 by a military court in a trial that was mostly conducted in secrecy and out of President Salva Kiir Mayardit’s sight.

Buay who was being kept in jail while the trial was ongoing had stated in an audio message that the judge found no evidence to support claims by ex-militia commander, General Puljang Top, that he was planning to rebel to opposition forces.

On Monday, he declared his intention to join South Sudan United Front under Malong and accused a group of senior government officials as being National Congress Party extensions in South Sudan and who have taken over the country’s presidency manipulating all decisions being taken by the president.

Earlier today, Malong reinstated his rank and promoted him to Lieutenant General with effect from today, May 7, 2021.

In an order, Malong appointed General Stephen Buay Rolnyang as the group’s secretary for defense.

“In exercise of the Powers conferred upon me by the article 24, read together with article 24.1 of the South Sudan United Front/Army Constitution, 2021 AD. , I, Gen. Paul Malong Awan Anei, Chairman & Commander-in-Chief (C-IN-C) of SSUFIA, do hereby appoint Lt. Gen. Stephen Buoy Rolnyang as Secretary of Defence of the South Sudan United Front/Army,” Malong wrote in the order.

“This order shall come into force from the date of its signature by the Chairman and Commander-in- Chief of the South Sudan United Front/Army (SSUFIA),” he added.