South Sudanese President Salva Kiir has dismissed his intelligence chief and two vice-presidents in a major political shake-up, replacing one of his longtime allies with an influential advisor analysts believe could be positioned as his potential successor.
Despite a 2018 peace deal that ended a brutal five-year civil war, South Sudan continues to grapple with violence, food insecurity, and a worsening humanitarian crisis.
In a series of decrees read on state television late Monday, Kiir removed Vice-President James Wani Igga and appointed Benjamin Bol Mel, a powerful businessman and close confidant, to oversee the government’s economic portfolio. Bol Mel, who is under U.S. sanctions for alleged ties to money-laundering through construction firms, has gained increasing influence within Kiir’s administration.
“All indicators around Bol Mel show… that he is the key power broker in South Sudan today,” said Abraham Kuol Nyuon, a political science professor at the University of Juba. “It seems the president may be preparing him for a bigger role.”
Wani Igga’s deputy press secretary stated that the outgoing vice-president wished his successors well in their efforts to build the nation.
Kiir, 73, also dismissed National Security Service (NSS) chief Akec Tong Aleu, appointing Charles Chiek Mayo as interim head until a permanent replacement is named.
South Sudan’s fragile political landscape remains marked by tensions between Kiir and his first vice-president, Riek Machar, his longtime rival and former civil war adversary. National elections—originally scheduled years ago—have been repeatedly postponed due to stalled peace process implementation and political infighting.
Analysts view Kiir’s latest reshuffle as an attempt to tighten his grip on power within the ruling party ahead of long-awaited elections expected next year.
