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| Kuol Manyang Ju | |
|---|---|
| Name | Kuol Manyang Ju |
| Birth date | 1945 |
| Birth place | Pibor, Bahr el Ghazal |
| Nationality | South Sudan |
| Occupation | Soldier and politician |
| Office | Minister of Defense and Veterans Affairs |
| Term start | 2013 |
| Term end | 2015 |
| Party | Sudan People's Liberation Movement |
Kuol Manyang Ju Kuol Manyang Ju is a South Sudanese military officer and politician who served as Minister of Defense and Veterans Affairs and as Governor of Jonglei State. He is a senior figure in the Sudan People's Liberation Movement and a commander in the Sudan People's Liberation Army, known for roles during the Second Sudanese Civil War and in post-independence South Sudan politics. Manyang has been involved in intercommunal mediation across Greater Upper Nile, peace negotiations with Khartoum, and party leadership within SPLM.
Born in the Pibor area of Bahr el Ghazal province, Manyang grew up amid shifting borders near Ethiopia and the Central African Republic. He pursued early schooling in local mission schools before joining training programs linked to the Anyanya II movement and later institutions associated with the SPLA and regional military academies. His formative years intersected with events like the Addis Ababa Agreement aftermath and the rise of leaders such as John Garang and Salva Kiir Mayardit.
Manyang rose through the ranks of the Sudan People's Liberation Army during the Second Sudanese Civil War, operating alongside commanders like Riek Machar, William Nyuon, Deng Athorbei, and Kerubino Kuanyin Bol. He participated in campaigns across Upper Nile, Unity State, and Jonglei State, engaging with battles and operations connected to clashes in Bor and maneuvers near Malakal and Bentiu. His military experience included cooperation with foreign actors such as Ethiopian National Defense Force elements and interactions with international mediators from the Intergovernmental Authority on Development and the African Union. Manyang's role involved logistics, command over SPLA units, and coordination with commanders loyal to the SPLM leadership in Nairobi and Addis Ababa negotiations.
Transitioning into politics, Manyang became a prominent member of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement political hierarchy, working alongside figures like Salva Kiir Mayardit, Rebecca Nyandeng De Mabior, Tito Biel, and James Hoth Mai. He served as Governor of Jonglei State during periods of local conflict and reconstruction, engaging with institutions such as the National Legislative Assembly (South Sudan), regional authorities in Upper Nile State, and humanitarian agencies including UNMISS and UNICEF. His political life intersected with regional powerbrokers from Greater Equatoria, Greater Bahr el Ghazal, and the Nile corridor.
As Minister of Defense and Veterans Affairs in the cabinet of President Salva Kiir Mayardit, Manyang oversaw policies related to integration of former SPLA factions and demobilization initiatives aligned with peace frameworks like the Comprehensive Peace Agreement legacy and later accords. He engaged with international delegations from the United Nations Security Council, IGAD, the United States, and the European Union on security sector reform and veteran affairs. His tenure involved responses to crises in locations including Juba, Gogrial, Wau, and coordination with security chiefs such as Paul Malong Awan and James Hoth Mai. Manyang also participated in high-level meetings at venues like Addis Ababa and Nairobi concerning ceasefires and implementation of agreements mediated by envoys including Riyad Mansour and representatives of the African Union Commission.
Manyang has been a key actor in intra-party dynamics within the SPLM, interacting with leaders such as Riek Machar, Lam Akol, Peter Gadet Yak, and Dr. Ann Itto. He played a part in dialogues addressing intercommunal violence between groups like the Murle, Nuer, and Dinka in Jonglei, engaging traditional authorities, chiefs, and elders from Pibor County and the Boma area. Manyang's influence extended to security appointments, negotiations with former Khartoum representatives over oil transit issues in Unity State and Upper Nile, and participation in national discussions on constitutional drafting alongside delegates from the Transitional Constitution of South Sudan process, civil society organizations, and international partners including the United States Department of State.
Manyang is noted for his pastoralist roots among communities in Jonglei and ties to local elders, chiefs, and faith leaders from denominations such as Catholic Church (South Sudan), Presbyterian Church congregations, and Islamic leaders in border towns. His legacy includes both military leadership in the struggle against Khartoum and political roles in building new institutions in South Sudan after independence in 2011. He is associated with debates over security sector reform, veterans' welfare, and reconciliation efforts alongside mediators like John Kerry, Lodewyk de Beer, and Thabo Mbeki. Manyang's career remains significant for scholars of the Second Sudanese Civil War, analysts of East African politics, and observers of post-independence South Sudanese governance.
Category:South Sudanese military personnel Category:South Sudanese politicians Category:Sudan People's Liberation Movement