Ex-VP Wani Igga refuses demotion after Kiir’s party shake-up – officials

JUBA – Former South Sudan Vice President James Wani Igga has refused his demotion from the ruling Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) first deputy chairman to secretary-general, party sources told Sudans Post on Tuesday, a day after President Salva Kiir removed him and Hussein Abdelbaggi from their governmental positions.

Kiir, who is also the SPLM chairman, dismissed Wani and Abdelbaggi from the party’s leadership in a surprise move on Monday. He removed SPLM Secretary-General Peter Lam Both and named Wani, who was the first deputy chairman, as the new secretary-general.

The president then appointed business tycoon Benjamin Bol Mel, who was sanctioned by the United States in 2017 for corruption, to Wani’s previous role but did not immediately name him first deputy chairman, Wani’s previous position.

Kiir’s party insiders said the head of state was expected to appoint Bol Mel to the top deputy position at a later time, seeking to avoid scrutiny amid speculation that the president is preparing Bol Mel, an ethnic Dinka and a native of Northern Bahr el Ghazal State, as his successor.

According to the SPLM constitution, the first deputy chairman assumes leadership of the party in the event of the chairman’s death or incapacitation.

Multiple party sources told Sudans Post yesterday that Kiir’s health has deteriorated in recent months, making it difficult for him to take decisive actions, raising concerns about succession planning within the ruling party.

A senior SPLM official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Wani was in his home village of Lobonok in Juba County when Kiir announced his dismissal on Tuesday and has not returned to the capital since.

“Wani is refusing to accept the demotion to secretary-general,” the official said. “He believes it is a deliberate move to sideline him from the party’s leadership.”

The SPLM has not publicly commented on the internal shake-up. Kiir’s decision to remove Wani, a long-time loyalist and one of the historical leaders of the SPLM, has sparked speculation about a deeper rift within the ruling party ahead of planned elections.

Bol Mel, a prominent businessman with close ties to the presidency, has long been rumored to be among those Kiir is considering as a potential successor.

His appointment to Wani’s former position without an immediate confirmation as first deputy chairman has raised further questions about the president’s plans.

Political analysts say the SPLM’s internal restructuring comes at a critical time, with the country preparing for elections after repeated delays. Kiir’s maneuvering within the party leadership is seen as an effort to consolidate control amid growing uncertainty over his health and political future.