Deng Deng Akon (born 15 December 1964) is a South Sudanese politician and a member of the

Sudan People's Liberation Movement-in-Opposition The Sudan People's Liberation Movement-in-Opposition (Abbreviation, abbreviated SPLM-IO), also known as the anti-governmental forces (AGF), is a mainly South Sudanese political party and rebel group that split from the Sudan People's Liberation ...

. He was elected as Speaker of the House for the Council of States on 2 August 2021.

Early life

Deng was born on 15 December 1964, in MarialBai, Aweil West County of NBG.

Political Career

In February 2013, Akon was included on the list of officers from the

Sudan People's Liberation Army The South Sudan People's Defence Forces (SSPDF), formerly the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA), is the military force of South Sudan. The SPLA was founded as a guerrilla movement against the government of Sudan in 1983 and was a key parti ...

to be placed on reserve status. He held the rank of Brigadier-General at the time. In December 2013, Akon was detained along with ten other members of the ruling party, the

SPLM The Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM; , ''Al-Ḥarakat ash-Shaʿbiyyat liTaḥrīr as-Sūdān'') is a political party in South Sudan. It was initially founded as the political wing of the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA; a key bell ...

, after a failed coup. He was released on 27 December 2013 alongside the ex-minister for higher education, Peter Adwok Nyaba. Akon had formerly served as director in the previous Vice President's office. In 2020, he was a member of the Cabinet of South Sudan. He was dismissed from the cabinet in July 2021, along with all serving members at the time. On 2 August 2021, he was sworn in as the Speaker for the Council of States alongside the entirety of the Parliament. He urged the separation of powers and adherence to the constitution in an address to the governors and chief administrators of each state at the governor's forum on 22 November 2021. In August 2022, the Mayom County Commissioner was summarily executed. The Council of States then passed a vote of no confidence in Unity State Governor Dr. Joseph Monytuil. Akon, as the Speaker, received a letter dated 25 August 2022 that the Council was not permitted to pass that vote and would only be able to censure Monytuil with a three-quarter majority of the combined parliament.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Akon, Deng Deng Living people 1964 births Speakers of the Council of States (South Sudan) Sudan People's Liberation Movement politicians Government ministers of South Sudan 21st-century South Sudanese politicians