Nairobi Declaration
{{Short description|South Sudanese peace process}}{{This|the 2023 South Sudanese declaration|the 2022 Tigray War treaty|Ethiopia–Tigray peace agreement#Nairobi Declaration}}{{infobox war faction
| name = Nairobi Declaration
| caption =
| logo =
| leader = Dickson Gatluak Jock
| dates = 28 January 2023
| area = South Sudan
| ideology = anti-government
| status = Ongoing
| opponents = Paul Malong Awan
| war = South Sudanese Civil War
}}
The Nairobi Declaration (Arabic إعــــــــــلان نيـــــــروبي) is an ongoing attempt by a group of South Sudanese military officials led by rebel deputy chief of staff Dickson Gatluak Jock to remove Paul Malong Awan as leader of the opposition South Sudan United Front/Army (SSUF/A).{{Cite web |date=2023-01-29 |title=South Sudan United Front Leadership Ousts Gen.Paul Malong Awan In A Nairobi Declaration |url=https://thesunweekly.co.ke/south-sudan-united-front-leadership-ousts-gen-paul-malong-awan-in-a-nairobi-declaration/ |access-date=2023-01-30 |website=The Sun Weekly |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=2023-01-28 |title=Rebel generals led by Dickson Gatluak Jock removes Malong, open for talks with Kiir |url=https://www.sudanspost.com/rebel-generals-led-by-dickson-gatluak-jock-removes-malong-open-for-talks-with-kiir/ |access-date=2023-01-30 |website=Sudans Post |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Joshua |first=Elvince |date=2023-01-30 |title=Malong fires generals in retaliation for ‘Nairobi Coup’ |url=https://cityreviewss.com/malong-fires-generals-in-retaliation-for-nairobi-coup/ |access-date=2023-01-30 |website=The City Review South Sudan |language=en-US}} The officers according to the declaration accused Malong of being "incompetent" to lead and has not been able to meet his troops on the ground.{{Cite web |last=Tribune |first=Sudan |title=SSUF/A leader expels five members, downplays ouster |url=https://sudantribune.com/article270059/ |website=Sudan Tribune}}
Background
From the formation of SSUF/A back in 2018 following his 2017 fallout with President Salva Kiir Mayardit to his attempted ouster on January 28, 2023, Malong has entirely based in Nairobi, unable to see his troops on the ground. This angered most of his allies who either switched side to join Kiir’s government or join the National Salvation Front (NAS) led by Thomas Cirilo.{{Cite web |date=2020-09-10 |title=EXCLUSIVE: Ex-South Sudan envoy to Russia Telar Ring to return to Kiir-led SPLM faction |url=https://www.sudanspost.com/exclusive-ex-south-sudan-envoy-to-russia-telar-ring-to-return-to-kiir-led-splm-faction/ |access-date=2023-01-30 |website=Sudans Post |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=SSUF downplays Lewis Anei defection to government |url=https://radiotamazuj.org/en/news/article/ssuf-downplays-lewis-anei-defection-to-government |access-date=2023-01-30 |website=Radio Tamazuj |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Tribune |first=Sudan |title=South Sudan’s Kiir receive Malong’s former senior aide |url=https://sudantribune.com/article65247/ |website=Sudan Tribune}}{{Cite web |title=South Sudan: Ex-army chief rebels – DW – 04/10/2018 |url=https://www.dw.com/en/south-sudan-ex-army-chief-paul-malong-forms-new-party/a-43327719 |access-date=2023-01-30 |website=dw.com |language=en}}
Since then, several military and political officials of the group have either split to form factions of their own or join the government of President Salva Kiir. Recent defections include that of the SSUF/A spokesman Chol Duang, who retired from politics and returned to Juba, and Sunday De John who broke away to form a faction of his own.{{Cite web |date=2020-09-26 |title=Emmanuel Sunday "removes" Malong, declares himself leader of SSUF/A |url=https://www.sudanspost.com/sunday-says-malong-removed-declares-himself-interim-chairperson-of-ssuf-a/ |access-date=2023-01-30 |website=Sudans Post |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=2021-07-19 |title=Ex-Malong spokesman returns to Juba one day after resignation from rebel group |url=https://www.sudanspost.com/ex-malong-spokesman-returns-to-juba-one-day-after-resignation-from-rebel-group/ |access-date=2023-01-30 |website=Sudans Post |language=en-US}}
The Declaration
At 5:00PM on Saturday, 28 January 2023, Dickson and a group of senior military and political officers including the deputy chairman of SSUF announced Malong's ouster, and accused him of "running the movement single-handedly" and stated that international sanctions imposed on him have gravely affected the movement.
Malong responded in a statement and expelled the officers, accusing them of having been caught red-handed engaging with South Sudan unity government in Juba.
Aftermath
The declaration by the group led to the defection of a group of military officers abandoning Malong and joining Dickson Gatluak and his officers.{{Cite web |last=says |first=Alex |date=2023-01-29 |title=Malong boycotted in mass exodus as another group declares allegiance to Gatluak |url=https://www.sudanspost.com/malong-boycotted-in-mass-exodus-as-another-group-declares-allegiance-to-gatluak/ |access-date=2023-01-30 |website=Sudans Post |language=en-US}}