South Sudanese President Salva Kiir on Monday night reinstated Dr. James Wani Igga as Vice President in charge of the Economic Cluster, ending days of speculation over one of the country’s most influential positions. The announcement, carried by state-run media, is part of a sweeping political overhaul that has reshaped the top ranks of government, security, and diplomacy.
The reshuffle saw four national ministers dismissed and several senior officials reassigned in what analysts describe as an effort by Kiir to consolidate political control following internal rifts within the ruling Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM).
Igga Returns to Centre Stage
Igga, a veteran politician, liberation-era commander, and longtime Kiir ally, returns to the vice presidency months after his February dismissal. He had served as vice president since 2013. Kiir also reinstated him as First Deputy Chair of the SPLM, reversing his removal from the party leadership in May.
His comeback follows last week’s dramatic removal of Dr. Benjamin Bol Mel, who briefly occupied both the vice presidency and the deputy SPLM chairmanship. Bol Mel, a powerful businessman whose rapid rise unsettled several political actors, was stripped of his four-star general rank, dismissed from the National Security Service, and removed from both positions without explanation. His ouster coincided with reports of deepening internal power struggles and allegations of misuse of state funds.
South Sudan’s presidency includes five vice presidents, a structure created under the 2018 peace agreement that ended the civil war.
Key Cabinet Changes
In the cabinet, Kiir dismissed Information Minister Michael Makuei Lueth, Roads and Bridges Minister Simon Mijok Mijak, Environment Minister Josephine Napwon Cosmos, and Justice Minister Joseph Geng Akech.
Makuei, who has led the information docket for over a decade and is known for strict media controls, was reassigned as Minister of Justice—a portfolio he previously held during the pre-independence southern government.
Geng Akech, who had been advancing the high-profile trial of suspended First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar, received no new appointment. He is widely seen as closely aligned with Bol Mel.
Ateny Wek Ateny, former Presidential Press Secretary, was appointed the new Information Minister. Ateny served nine years in the Office of the President before being unexpectedly removed in August 2022.
For the Roads and Bridges Ministry, Kiir appointed Peter Lam Both, former SPLM Secretary-General. Meanwhile, Mabior Garang de Mabior—eldest son of SPLM founding leader Dr. John Garang—was named Minister of Environment. His appointment has prompted questions about whether it could influence the position of his mother, Vice President Rebecca Nyandeng de Mabior.
Security Sector and State-Level Changes
In the security services, Kiir dismissed Inspector General of Police Gen. Abraham Manyuat Peter and reinstated Gen. Saeed Chawul Lom, who previously served as police chief between 2017 and 2018.
At the state level, Central Equatoria Governor Rabi Mujung Emmanuel was removed and replaced by Emmanuel Adil Anthony, who returns to the governorship he held from 2020 until his dismissal in 2024.
Diplomatic Reassignments
Regina Akur Nyok was appointed Deputy Ambassador to China just days after being named Deputy Office Manager in the President’s Office.
Monica Achol Aguek was reinstated as a Grade One Ambassador and deployed as the President’s Envoy to the Middle East.
No reasons were provided for any of the appointments or dismissals announced through presidential decrees.
Analysts: Kiir Consolidating Power Ahead of 2026 Polls
Political observers say the reshuffle underscores President Kiir’s efforts to tighten his grip on the state apparatus amid shifting alliances within the SPLM.
Governance scholar Dr. Remember Miamingi criticized the frequency of reshuffles, saying government positions have increasingly become “tokens in a game of power and patronage” rather than tools for service delivery.
Civil society leader Edmund Yakani described the changes as “a recycling of old guards,” and urged government to fully and fairly implement the 2018 peace agreement. He called for an inclusive national dialogue as the country heads toward long-delayed elections.
South Sudan has not held elections since gaining independence in 2011. The polls—originally scheduled for 2015—have been repeatedly postponed. The transitional government now says general elections are expected in December 2026.
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