The Minister of Defense has denied reports that he wants to relinquish his office, and resign from the government.

Kuol Manyang Juuk reacted to media reports, that he had submitted his resignation letter to the president.

He told Journalists from his office in Bilpam that he is still in office, dismissing the floating reports.

“I have not resigned and the information was just created. It was a creation for unknown reasons they say I have resign because of the conflict with General Paul Malong, the new Chief General of staff of the SPLA, that he goes to the president by passing me. This is all not true, General Paul Malong the Chief General of staff is the one controlling and managing the army. I am a minister that supports his efforts to develop his capacities”, the Defense Minister said.

Kuol also denied reports that the Uganda soldiers are paid by the government of South Sudan. He said that the funds that run the operations of the Uganda Peoples’ Defense Forces come from the government of Uganda.

‘‘This is what I want to clarify to you about the salary for the army, that Malong is blaming me for using the money to pay Ugandan army that is also not true. I have not paid any money toUPDF. UPDF is paid by their government, so we are not spending money on UPDF in South Sudan”, he said.

Kuol Manyang further added that the poor road network has delayed the payment of the SPLA soldiers.