South Sudan’s President, Salva Kiir, has dismissed one of his five vice presidents, Benjamin Bol Mel, in a sweeping government shake-up that also saw the removal of top financial officials.
Bol Mel, who was appointed in February and widely believed to be Kiir’s preferred successor, was relieved of his duties without an official explanation.
He was also stripped of his position as deputy leader of the ruling Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) and demoted from general to private in the National Security Service.
No successor has been named.
Bol Mel, a powerful figure in South Sudan’s political and business circles, has been under United States sanctions since 2017 for alleged corruption.
A recent United Nations report accused companies linked to him of receiving $1.7 billion in contracts for road construction projects that were never completed. He has not publicly responded to the allegations.
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President Kiir also dismissed the governor of the central bank and the head of the revenue authority, both known to be close allies of Bol Mel.
Rising Political Tensions
The dismissals come amid growing speculation about succession plans and fears of renewed instability in Africa’s youngest nation.
National elections, initially scheduled for 2023, have been postponed twice, raising concerns about Kiir’s political intentions.
His longtime rival and First Vice President, Riek Machar, was arrested in March and charged with treason.
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Meanwhile, fighting between forces loyal to Kiir and various armed groups has intensified in recent months, threatening to undermine the fragile peace deal signed in 2018.
A Nation Still in Recovery
South Sudan gained independence from Sudan in 2011 after decades of civil war but quickly descended into another internal conflict in 2013. That war, which ended in 2018, claimed an estimated 400,000 lives and displaced millions.
Under the 2018 peace accord, the country operates a power-sharing government with five vice presidents representing different factions.
The latest political upheaval has renewed concerns that divisions within the ruling elite could destabilize the fragile unity government and delay the long-awaited democratic transition.
Rafiyat Sadiq is a political, justice, and human rights reporter with Pinnacle Daily, known for fearless reporting and impactful storytelling. At Pinnacle Daily, she brings clarity and depth to issues shaping governance, democracy, and the protection of citizens’ rights.