![General Stephen Buay Rolnyang [Photo via Facebook]](https://i0.wp.com/www.sudanspost.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/186481199_326867722125380_5466397084599165633_n.jpg?quality=89&ssl=1)
Early this week, General Buay abandoned General Paul Malong Awan and formed his own rebel movement to fight the government of President Salva Kiir Mayardit. General Buay named his group South Sudan Patriotic Movement/Army.
Dr. Costello Garang who was appointed in June as presidential advisor on presidency affairs has a group with similar name. He formed his rebel movement in 2017 after the renewal of fighting following the collapse of the 2015 peace agreement in 2016.
Costello’s group issued a statement yesterday asking General Stephen Buay Rolnyang to rename his movement and threatened to take legal proceedings if the demand by his group is not respected.
In a statement this afternoon, General Stephen Buay said he has renamed his party to South Sudan People’s Movement/Army and said that all the reasons for creation of his group remains as they were.
“The South Sudan Patriotic Movement/Army new group has learnt that the name South Sudan Movement/Army that we have just adopted to effect a regime change, is a synonym used by the group of General Costello Garang Ring Lual,” Gen. Buay said in a statement extended to Sudans Post.
“Therefore, we the new group of the SSPM/A would submissively like to apologize for unintentional use of the same synonym. In this regard, the new group interim chairman and commander in chief of the SSPM/A, after consulting with the members of the SSPM/A new group, has changed the name South Sudan Patriotic Movement/Army to South Sudan People’s Movement/Army with immediate effect,” he added.
He further added that “Our vision, mission and objectives that prompted us to form the new group of South Sudan Patriotic Movement/Army remain the same as articulated in our manifesto.”
