South Sudan Selects General James Ajongo As Next Army Chief

South Sudan President Salva Kiir appoints General James Ajongo as the new Army Chief of the country a day after firing his predecessor who was alleged of being involved in war crimes and ethnic cleansing.

However, the Kiir government didn’t explain why General Paul Malong was sacked.

The new army chief briefed the press following his inauguration and said to be implementing the security arrangements stipulated in the peace agreement of 2015 and would work to end the civil waw in the country.

Ajongo added to be addressing the increasing numbers of armed groups who are trying to topple Kiir’s government.

The inauguration was held in the Presidential Palace amid tight security and limited audience.

Meanwhile, the presidential spokesman Ateny Wek Ateny said the new army chief is a career soldier.

Ajongo was earlier the former deputy chief of general staff for administration and finance. He joined SPLA in 1983 and has never been in such a position ever like General Malong.

South Sudan is in the grip of civil war since Kiir came to power and initially the violence erupted in capital Juba but later spread across South Sudan.

Kiir is an ethnic Dinka and deputy president belongs to a Nuer community. The nationwide violence has lately resulted with famine, hyperinflation, and a loss of basic services in several parts of South Sudan.