JUBA, South Sudan
South Sudan’s President, Salva Kiir dismissed three national ministers on Monday in a mini cabinet reshuffle amid ongoing political tensions with his First Vice President, Riek Machar.
The surprise move, announced
in a presidential decree broadcast on state television, removed Awut
Deng Acuil as Minister of General Education; Ruben Madol Arol as
Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs; and Joseph Mum Majak as
Minister of Trade and Industry. No official explanation was provided for their
dismissals.
Ms. Awut and Mr. Madol had
held their positions since 2020. Ms. Awut, a veteran official, previously led
ministries overseeing gender, child welfare, and labor. Mr. Majak, who was
appointed Trade Minister in July 2024, was replaced after less than a year in
the role.
President Kiir named Dr. Wek
Mamer Kuol, a former deputy cabinet minister who served before the civil war
erupted in 2013, as the new Justice Minister.
Atong Kuol Manyang, daughter
of Senior Presidential Adviser Gen. Kuol Manyang, was elevated from Deputy
Governor of Jonglei State to Trade Minister. Dr. Kuyok Abol Kuyok, an author
and academic who had overseen policy as the Education Ministry’s Undersecretary
since 2019, will now serve as the Education Minister.
The reshuffle follows a
pattern of frequent ministerial turnover under President Kiir, who has used his
executive powers to replace officials, sometimes within months of their
appointments.
Last week, President Kiir
appointed Dr. Riek Gai Kok, a member of the SPLM, as Governor of Jonglei State
— a position originally allocated to the opposition South Sudan Opposition
Alliance (SSOA) under a 2018 peace agreement. A revised 2023 deal transferred
the role to Kiir’s SPLM party in exchange for offering SSOA a deputy governor
position or national ministry post.
In the Transitional National
Legislative Assembly, Kiir revoked the appointments of three lawmakers from
Northern Bahr el-Ghazal State representing the Sudan People’s Liberation
Movement in Opposition (SPLM-IO). Those affected were Bak Deng Nyang, Akec Fabio
Goi, and Chan Deng Maror. They were replaced by John Atak Garang Machar, Deng
Nyawel Dhieu, and Wol Kuac Wol.
The President also revoked the
appointments of SPLM-IO lawmakers from Northern Bahr el-Ghazal in the State
Parliament, including Awaya Awaya Makuei, Victor Wol Guoth, Bol Akum Akum, Deng
Wol Dheiu, and Theresa Awok Adup. They were replaced by Hajar Mataya, Majok
Piol Mayen, Longar Aror, Maria Akum, and James Jem Then.
Additionally, Kiir replaced
Atak Garang Akec, from the SPLM-IO, with Bol Akum Akum as Minister for Local
Government and Law Enforcement Agencies.
No comments:
Post a Comment