In a statement from the office of the Chairperson of the UPA and Commander-in-Chief, Gen. Pagan Amum Okiech, it was announced that Stephen Buay Rolyang has been promoted to the rank of General. The statement, extended to The Juba Mirror, confirmed that Gen. Amum had promoted the Chief of Staff, Stephen Buay Rolyang, to the rank of General.
Promotion of the UPA Chief of General Staff to the Rank of General Pursuant to the resolution of the UPA Interim National Leadership Committee (INLC) and General Command Council (GCC), Lt. General Stephen Buay Rolyang, the Chief of General Staff of the UPA Unified Forces, is hereby promoted to the rank of General, with effect from January 19, 2025, according to the statement.
South Sudanese opposition groups have utilized Gen. Stephen Buay Rolyang’s military expertise as a strategic advantage to lead military operations following the creation of UPA military sectors in Bahr el Ghazal, Upper Nile, and Equatoria regions, amid the potential collapse of the Tumaini Initiative peace process.
Formation and Composition of UPAThe UPA, formed earlier this month, consists of Buay’s SSPM/A, the Real-SPLM led by Amum, the South Sudan United Front (SSUF) led by General Paul Malong, and the NAS Revolutionary Command Council.
The groups have been involved in peace talks with the South Sudanese government in Nairobi under the Kenya-led Tumaini Initiative. However, the peace process is at risk of collapse, prompting the opposition groups to consider military action against the regime in Juba.
Despite the negotiations, the talks have faced significant challenges, with participants accusing one another of lacking the commitment necessary to make meaningful progress.