By Deng Chol
South Sudan’s armed forces are at a turning point.
With the appointment of General Dau Aturjuong as the new Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) of the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF), there is cautious hope for long-overdue reform within one of the country’s most troubled institutions.
The SSPDF has long been plagued by systemic challenges, chief among them, the persistent issue of unpaid salaries. Soldiers across the country have gone for months without pay, surviving under difficult conditions while continuing to serve.
As General Aturjuong assumes leadership, the pressure to bring change is immense.
Adding weight to his new responsibilities, the President of the Republic his excellency Salva Kiir Mayardit has issued a clear directive to the incoming CDF “Clean up the SSPDF payroll and remove all ghost names.” This move is intended to restore financial integrity within the army and ensure that only legitimate, active soldiers receive pay.
Understanding the Crisis Within the SSPDF
The SSPDF faces multiple, long-standing problems that continue to undermine morale, cohesion, and effectiveness:
Unpaid Salaries:
Many soldiers haven’t received salaries in months.
Some go a full year without consistent payment.
This has led to frustration, hunger, and in some cases, desertion.
Ghost Names on the Payroll:
A bloated payroll full of fake names and retired or deceased individuals has drained resources meant for active-duty personnel. This form of corruption has become one of the most serious financial challenges in the institution.
Dilapidated Living Conditions:
Most military barracks are in disrepair. Soldiers lack clean water, electricity, medical support, and proper housing.
Weak Discipline and Chain of Command: Years of conflict and politicization have left the command structure fragmented and inefficient.
Lack of Trust in Leadership.
Lower-ranking soldiers often feel abandoned by their commanders, with no one to speak for their welfare.
President’s Directive: Eliminate Ghost Names
In one of his first moves following the CDF appointment, the President directed General Aturjuong to immediately begin a nationwide audit of the military payroll.
The goal is simple:
Identify and remove ghost names that have for years allowed certain individuals to siphon money from the defense budget while real soldiers suffer.
This directive is not only a test of General Aturjuong’s leadership but also a signal that the government is taking corruption within the army seriously.
If successfully carried out, the payroll clean-up could free up millions of South Sudanese Pounds in funds money that could be redirected to improve soldiers’ living conditions and ensure timely payments for those actively serving.
What We Can Expect from General Aturjuong
The newly appointed CDF faces both high expectations and tough decisions.
Here’s what observers and soldiers alike will be watching closely.
- Salary Reform and Payment
General Aturjuong’s top priority is to ensure that soldiers receive their salaries on time. Cleaning the payroll is just the first step.
He will also need to work with the Ministry of Finance to establish a sustainable and transparent salary system for the military.
- Restoring Trust and Morale
Soldiers need leadership they can trust.
By engaging directly with troops, visiting field units, and publicly addressing their concerns, the new CDF can begin to rebuild the broken relationship between command and the rank-and-file.
- Enforcing Professional Standards
The army has drifted from professional norms, with incidents of indiscipline, looting, and political interference tarnishing its image. General Aturjuong is expected to set a clear code of conduct and hold officers accountable for misconduct.
- Improving Barracks and Welfare
Rehabilitating army barracks, upgrading health facilities, and ensuring access to food, clean water, and supplies are vital for restoring dignity to those who serve.
Welfare is not a luxury it is a foundation of readiness and discipline.
- Promoting Unity and Depoliticization
As national elections approach, it is essential that the SSPDF maintains neutrality and unity. The CDF must work to eliminate ethnic divisions and reinforce the army’s role as a national institution, not a political tool.
The Road Ahead: Reform or Repeat?
General Aturjuong’s leadership will be defined by whether he can act decisively on the President’s mandate and address the grievances that have been ignored for far too long. Cleaning the payroll is a necessary first step but reform will require much more political will, transparent systems, and a renewed sense of duty throughout the ranks.
The soldiers of the SSPDF are not asking for much just their rightful salaries, basic dignity, and respect for the uniform they wear.
If the new CDF can deliver on these expectations, he may well restore the soul of the army and help stabilize the nation itself.
But if the same patterns of neglect and corruption persist, then this moment like many before it will be remembered not as a turning point, but as another lost opportunity.