Malith Bol,41, could be the tied to the 10th tallest man in the world. | Photo: Lou Nelson/Eye Radio

41-year-old Malith Dak Deng is at least the tallest known South Sudanese man alive and he is also tied to the world’s 10th tallest surviving man measuring 7.9 feet in the Guinness World Records.

His astonishing height stunned South Sudanese on social media, but his first appearance in the spotlight was a photo of him meeting Vice President Dr James Wani Igga that went viral.

Though his name might not have officially entered the Guinness Book of Records, Malith is by default the second tallest in the African continent measuring about 7.9 feet after Ghana’s Charles Sogli measuring 8 feet.

In an exclusive interview with Eye Radio on Thursday, June 1, he appeals to the country’s leaders including President Salva Kiir and First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar to consolidate peace in South Sudan.

“I urge the President, the First Vice President and the other Vice Presidents to bring peace. We have guns in this country but we should not use guns against ourselves,” he stressed.

Malith said he has been advised to come to Juba due to instability and hostilities in his home area of Jonglei State.

He also calls on South Sudanese to stop killing themselves but embrace one another – adding that without peace, the country cannot move forward.

Malith further told Eye Radio he wishes to meet President Kiir and extend his plea for lasting peace.

“I would like to meet the President to convey to him a message of peace, we have an opportunity to work together and this is the right time for peace, we want to live in an environment of peace” he added.

Biography

Malith is the firstborn of three children and believes he inherited the height from his grandfather, whom he has now beaten.

“I have seen tall people around, but I have never seen somebody who is taller than me, I never met them,” he said to Eye Radio.

He first came to the capital Juba from Ayod in 2011 and later returned to Jonglei state.

Again, he returned to Juba in 2022 and has been in the capital for nearly a year now.

Malith told Eye Radio that being a tall person is cool but has some challenges.

He says he cannot fit in most of the seats of public transport cars, he has to have special clothes tailored for him.

His shoe sizes are also very rare and are only specially offered – while he had two beds doubled wielded together as a single bed.

“I bought two beds, and put them together to sleep on because there is not one single bed in the market that I can use.”

– 11 tallest people in the world alive –

1. Sultan Kosen – Turkey – 8 ft 2.8 in

2. Brahim Takioullah – Morocco 8ft 1 in

3. Morteza Mehrzad – Iran – 8 ft 1 in

4. Dharmendra Pratap Singh – India – 8 ft 1 in

5. Zia Rasheed – Pakistan – 8 ft 0 in

6. Charles Sogli – Ghana – 8 ft 0 in

7. China – Zhang Juncai – 7 ft 11.5 in

8. Asadulla Khan – India – 7 ft 11 in

9. Pakistan – Naseer Soomro – 7 ft 10 in

10. Joelison Fernandes da Silva – Brazil – 7 ft 9 in

11. Malith Bol – South Sudan – 7 ft 9 in

Note: Malith is not yet officially recognized in the Guinness World Records and the analysis in this outlet is based on practical measurements of his height in contrast with the known record of the tallest people in the world.