South Sudan, JUBA: South Sudan President Salva Kiir Mayardit on Monday joined mourners at Juba International Airport to receive the body of late Gen. John Kong Nyuon, who died on 26th December 2022 in Nairobi, Kenya.
Speaking to the Press, the Minister of Information, Michael Makuei Lueth, described the late Gen. John Kong as a dedicated liberator who contributed greatly during the liberation struggle. Late Gen. Kong was one of the founding members of the SPLA and SPLM movement.
In 1964, he joined Anyany one and served in different garrison and progressed to the rank of captain. He was assigned Commander of 105 and 104 Battalion under the overall command of Lt. Col. William Nyuon Bany.
In 1987, Late Kong was promoted to the rank of Alternate Commander (A/CDR), a newly created SPLA ranking structure by then in the movement and in the same year, he was appointed Deputy Commander of Shakush Battalion under the zonal command of Commander James Wani Igga.
In 1992 he was the Overall commander of Operation Jungle Storm (OJS)-Juba operation, and In 1993 he was appointed member of the Leadership Council and also Commander of the Independent Area Command of Yei and Kajo Keji.
After the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, CPA in 2005, Late John Kong served as a Presidential Security Advisor in 2007 and also as a Minister of Defence and Veteran Affairs after independence in 2011. He also served as Governor of Jonglei State in 2013.
Residents of South Sudan seemed sad and worried, and one of the users also said, “In every day, the country is losing liberators of our history while we’re remaining with traitors of the NCP. Why is they dying? Could it be a trauma or what? Our lovely President Kiir Mayardit should look into it and seriously take care of his own colleagues and comrades in the struggle. SKM, you’re the only hope of unity of this country, but the unity of this country is meaningless if we don’t see our liberator and heroes in it. MAY lovely Soul Rest in Eternal Peace.”
