Kiir fires vice presidents Wani, Abdelbagi in major shake-up amid succession talk

JUBA – South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir Mayardit has dismissed two vice presidents and several high-ranking officials in a sweeping cabinet reshuffle, fueling speculation about his political future and potential succession plans.

The move comes amid growing rumors about Kiir’s health and his possible replacement by businessman Benjamin Bol Mel, a native of Northern Bahr el Ghazal State, who was appointed vice president in the latest shake-up.

In a series of presidential decrees read on the state-owned South Sudan Broadcasting Corporation (SSBC) on Monday night, Kiir removed Vice Presidents James Wani Igga and Hussein Abdelbagi Akol from their positions. Wani, the country’s longest-serving vice president, was replaced by Bol Mel, a prominent businessman and former presidential envoy.

A close ally of Kiir, Wani was first appointed vice president in August 2013, replacing opposition leader Riek Machar, who now serves as First Vice President under the 2018 revitalized peace agreement. He was representing Kiir’s SPLM faction in the presidency.

Abdelbagi, leader of the South Sudan Patriotic Movement (SSPM), was appointed to the position in 2020 as part of the revitalized peace deal. He was replaced by Josephine Lago Yanga, chairperson of the South Sudan Opposition Alliance (SSOA) and former minister of agriculture. Kiir then named Abdelbagi as the new minister of agriculture.

Abdelbagi’s dismissal follows months of internal power struggles within the SSOA. Lago, the SSOA chairperson, had previously urged Kiir to replace Abdelbagi as the alliance’s representative in the collegial presidency, as stipulated in the 2018 revitalized peace agreement sparking internal power wrangle.

The reshuffle extended beyond the vice presidency. Kiir dismissed Tut Gatluak Manimeh, the presidential envoy for the Middle East, and appointed him as South Sudan’s ambassador to Kuwait. Gatluak, who previously served as Kiir’s security advisor, was only appointed to the Middle East envoy role last month.

In another significant move, Kiir removed Peter Lam Both as secretary-general of the SPLM party and appointed James Wani Igga as his replacement. Wani’s new role marks a shift from his previous position as vice president.

The president also dismissed Akech Tong Aleu, the recently appointed director-general of the Internal Security Bureau (ISB) of the National Security Service (NSS). Tong, who took office in October 2024 after the removal of long-time ISB chief Akol Koor Kuc, was replaced by Charles Chiech Mayor, the deputy director-general for administration and finance, who will act in the role until a permanent appointment is made.

The reshuffle also saw the removal of Western Equatoria State Governor Alfred Futuyo and Health Minister Yolanda Awel Deng, both members of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement in Opposition (SPLM-IO) led by First Vice President Riek Machar. It remains unclear whether their dismissals were made at Machar’s request.

The cabinet changes come amid persistent rumors about Kiir’s health and his potential resignation. Speculation started to intensify in December 2022 when the president appeared to experience a health episode during a public event in Juba.

Since then, there has been widespread speculation that Kiir is preparing Bol Mel, a trusted confidant, as his successor.

The reshuffle also follows Kiir’s recent return from a working visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), where discussions reportedly focused on economic partnerships. The timing of the dismissals has raised questions about whether Kiir is consolidating power or laying the groundwork for a leadership transition.

Kiir has a history of frequent cabinet reshuffles, often without clear explanations. In 2024, he removed an executive director just days after appointing them, highlighting his unpredictable approach to governance.