Kiir sacks Jonglei Governor Mahjoub, names Riek Gai Kok as replacement

JUBA – South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir Mayardit issued two republican decrees on Friday night, dismissing the governor of Jonglei State and appointing a replacement, according to an announcement broadcast on state media.

The decrees, read out on the state-owned South Sudan Broadcasting Corporation (SSBC), removed Mahjoub Biel Turuk from his position as governor and named Riek Gai Kok as his successor.

Jonglei State, one of the country’s most volatile regions, has been a focal point of political and security tensions in recent years.

Mahjoub, who serves as the secretary-general of the opposition National Democratic Movement (NDM), was appointed to the role in May 2022 under the South Sudan Opposition Alliance (SSOA), a coalition led by Vice-President Josephine Lagu.

He had replaced Denay Jock Chagor, who was appointed governor in July 2020 at the start of South Sudan’s transitional period.

Kiir did not provide a reason for the dismissal in his decree, citing only the constitutional powers granted to him under the transitional constitution.

The move, however, is likely to draw criticism from opposition groups, as the governorship of Jonglei State is allocated to the SSOA under the terms of the revitalized peace agreement signed in 2018.

Riek Gai, the newly appointed governor, is a member of the ruling Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) and previously served as the country’s minister of health.

His appointment raises questions about whether the SSOA and SPLM reached a consensus on the leadership change, as the peace agreement stipulates that such positions should be filled through mutual agreement among the signatory parties.

The change in leadership comes amid escalating tensions between the two main political-military factions in South Sudan, the SPLM in Government (SPLM-IG), led by President Kiir, and the SPLM in Opposition (SPLM-IO), led by First Vice President Riek Machar.

Both groups are key signatories to the revitalized peace agreement, which has been strained by ongoing disputes and sporadic violence.

The tensions have been further exacerbated by recent clashes in Nasir County, located in Upper Nile State, where armed youth known as the so-called “White Army” have been engaged in fierce fighting with the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF), the national army.

The conflict in Nasir has resulted in significant casualties, including the killing of SSPDF brigade commander Major General David Majur Dak.

He was shot dead on Friday while boarding a United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) helicopter, which had been arranged to evacuate him to the capital, Juba, after the White Army seized control of the town.

Jonglei State is home to the Lou Nuer and Gawaar communities, which have historically been associated with the White Army, a loosely organized militia known for its involvement in intercommunal violence and resistance to government forces.

Analysts suggest that President Kiir’s decision to appoint Riek Gai Kok, a prominent Lou Nuer politician, is a strategic move aimed at consolidating control over the White Army and ensuring their loyalty to the government in the event of a broader conflict between the SPLM-IO and the SSPDF.