Kuol Manyang JuukBy | Monday, July 9  2012 at  16:16

He was one of the senior commanders of the movement before the country’s peace deal was signed in 2005. He became Minister for Transport in Khartoum before he was appointed as Jonglei state governor in 2008. Kuol won 2010 general elections on his ruling SPLM ticket to maintain his seat, beating at a wide margin the late rebel leader George Athor Deng, who contested as an independent candidate.
Since then, Kuol has endeared himself to the youth as the leader who shaped their future after mobilising them in the mid-1980s to walk to refugee camps in Ethiopia and Kenya to go for studies.
When late Dr John Garang died in 2005, it was unclear who would replace him, with Dr Riek Machar and Dr Lam Akol angling for the job. Kuol broke the ice in the meeting room in New Site, Equatoria state, by nominating Salva Kiir, citing his resolute commitment to the liberation struggle, to become the heir. Today, Kuol remains the President’s right hand man.