Ousted army chief says stopped asking for permission to leave Juba

[Elisabeth Janaina]

Ousted army chief says stopped asking for permission to leave Juba

File photo: General Paul Malong
File photo: General Paul Malong

South Sudan’s former army Chief of General Staff, Gen. Paul Malong
Awan, says he has stopped asking for permission from President Kiir to
go to his home state of Aweil.

In May, General Malong had expressed desire to go to his birthplace
for family matters shortly after being removed from office but the
request was not approved by Kiir.

“They [government] know that I wanted to go home to see my family but
they have not approved it since May when I returned. So I decided to
stop asking anybody. I am just staying until when they will decide,”
Malong told Radio Tamazuj on Friday.

Malong left Juba together with some military officers shortly after
being removed by Kiir, heading for his birthplace in Aweil, but was
stopped in Eastern Lakes state and brought back to Juba after talks
mediated by community leaders.

The former army chief said his family members have been asking him to
visit them in Aweil. “They [family members] have been asking when I
will go home, when I will visit them, especially young ones. They have
been asking a lot, I fail to answer some of the questions,” he said.

General Malong further said he has taken time without meeting
President Kiir since he returned from Eastern Lakes state in May. “I
have not met him. Do you mean the president? I have not met,” he said.

Malong, once considered the power behind Kiir's administration,
declined to comment on reports that his health condition has
deteriorated steadily in Juba.

The wife of former SPLA army chief said her husband has been under
house arrest for months in Juba. Lucy Ayak said Malong has not been
allowed to leave the capital since May.