Kiir decrees formation of unified command
President Salva Kiir Mayardit has finally formed the unified command structure, paving the way for the graduation of the unified forces to ratify Chapter Two of the Revitalised Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan (R-ARCSS).
In multiple decrees, the President confirmed the ranks of the SPLA-IO and SSOA military officers, removed some officers and named their replacements, while others were transferred to new positions.
The president named Gen Santino Deng Will as the Chief of Defence Forces, Lt Gen Gabriel Duop Lam as Deputy CDF, Lt Gen Kuong Gatkuoth Kerjok as the Inspector General, Lt Gen Thoi Chany Reat as Assistant CDF for operations, Lt Gen Peter Majur CDR Sector to Malakal, and Lt Gen James Koang Chuol as Assistant CDF for training and research, among other positions in the six sectors of the unified command structure.
Preparations
On Tuesday, the Ministry of Information, Communication Technology and Postal Services, shared the details of the sharing of the unified command in SSPDF, police, internal security, external security, wildlife and prisons.
In the SSPDF, the SPLM-IG was given the position of Chief of Staff, Training, Administration and Finance, Ground Forces, Air Force, Military Intelligence, and Operations.
The SPLM-IO was given the positions of Deputy Chief of Staff, Inspector General of the Army, Moral Guidance, and Logistics, while SSOA was given the position of Assistant Chief of Staff of the Riverine Forces.
In Police, SPLM-IG was given the position of Inspector General, Operations Administration and Finance, Passports, Immigration and Civil Registry, Customs, Logistics, Criminal Investigation, and Public Relations.
The SPLM/A-IO was given the position of the Deputy Inspector General, Social Services, Training, Traffic, and Medical Services, while SSOA was given the border.
In Internal Security, SPLM-IG was given the position of Director-General, States Security Authority, Specialized Files Authority, Operations Authority, Central Security, Administration and Finance, and Information Authority.
The SPLM-IO was given the position of the Deputy Director-General, Economic Security, Protection, and Petroleum and Minerals Security while SSOA goes with training.
In external security, the SPLM-IG was given the position of the Director-General, Information Authority, Technical Intelligence, Counter-intelligence, Administration, and Finance.
The SPLM-IO was given the positions of crisis management, foreign intelligence, and counter-terrorism, while the SSOA is the Deputy Director-General.
In the Wildlife Forces, SPLM-IG was given the position of Director-General, Training, Administration, and Finance, Protected Areas.
The SPLM-IO was given the position of Deputy Director-General, Assistant Director-General for Wildlife Law Enforcement, while SSOA has the position of Assistant Director-General for Environmental Conservation and Education.
In the prisons department, the SPLM-IG was given the position of Director-General, Procurement and Supply, Administration and Finance, Operations, Training and Human Resources, Communications and Information, Investment.
The SPLM-IO was given the position of Deputy Director-General, Labour and Technology, Social and Medical Affairs, while SSOA takes the position of Assistant Director-General for Inmate Affairs.
The presidential decree comes a day after the South Sudan Opposition Alliance (SSOA) submitted its list of nominees to the president. SSOA was allocated seven positions; two of which are for national security and one from each section in the command.
The official spokesperson of SSOA, Brig Gen Samuel Shan, told the City Review on Monday that they had submitted the list and would wait for the presidency to act.
“The list from SSOA is fully submitted today. We will just be waiting for further action from the presidency,” the SSOA Spokesperson noted.
“We are allotted only seven positions in all the six security services. [They include] two positions in national security, one in SSPDF, one in police, one in prison, one in wildlife, and one in people’s defence,” Shan said.
“It will be up to the presidency to decide when to announce, I don’t know the criteria there, but as far as our knowledge is concerned, the deadline for the announcement of the unified command is today, but if there is any extension, it is not yet brought to our attention,” he concluded.
