Kiir names brother-in-law deputy spy chief

President Salva Kiir in a raft of decrees read last night on the state broadcaster, South Sudan Broadcasting Corporation (SSBC), named his brother-in-law, Major General Gregory Deng Kuac, as the new Deputy Director-General of the General Intelligence Bureau of the National Security Service (NSS).

“In exercise of powers conferred upon me under section 17/1 of the NSS Act 2014, I Salva Kiir Mayardit, president of the Republic of South Sudan and Supreme commander of all the regular forces do hereby issue this republican decree for the appointment of Maj. Gen. Gregory Deng Kuac as Deputy Director-General of the General Intelligence Bureau, NSS with effect from 1 December 2021,” the decree read in part.   

Another presidential decree transferred Gen. Deng from the army, the SSPDF to the NSS.

Gen. Deng, famously known as Gregory Vasili, briefly served as the governor of the now-defunct Gogrial State from January to September 2017 and was in the past involved in land disputes in Juba some of which ended in court.

In a separate decree, President Kiir appointed SPLM-IO’s Gen. Martin Abucha Gama the minister of mining, replacing Henry Odwar who resigned the position in August.  

Gen. Abucha has been serving as the executive director in the office of First Vice President Dr. Machar and representing the SPLA-IO in the Ceasefire Transitional Security Arrangement Monitoring and Verification Mechanism (CTSAMVM).

The president also elevated two diplomats, Dr. James Solomon Padiet and Aker Deng Majok, to Grade 3 ambassadors.