Kiir reappoints Igga as vice-president, replaces information, justice ministers

JUBA — South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir Mayardit on Monday reinstated veteran politician James Wani Igga as vice president, replacing Benjamin Bol Mel, who was removed last week in a dramatic escalation of tensions within the ruling Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM).

The decree, broadcast on state-own South Sudan Broadcasting Corporation (SSBC), returns Igga to a position he first assumed in 2013. Kiir also reappointed him as the First Deputy Chairman of the SPLM, reaffirming his role as one of the president’s most trusted political allies.

Bol Mel was dismissed last Wednesday, stripped of his posts in government and the SPLM, and demoted from the rank of general to private in the National Security Service and then put under house arrest.

His removal followed weeks of speculation over his political ambitions, which several SPLM insiders said had strained his relationship with Kiir.

In a sweeping reshuffle, Kiir appointed his former press secretary, Ateny Wek Ateny, as the new minister of information, replacing the long-serving Michael Makuei Lueth. Makuei, who held the post for more than a decade, was one of Kiir’s most influential cabinet members and a central voice during several political and security crises.

Kiir also named Mabior Garang Mabior, son of the late SPLM founder John Garang, as the new minister of environment, replacing Josephine Napon. The move marks Mabior’s return to government after years of political estrangement and time spent in opposition ranks.

Another key appointment saw former SPLM Secretary-General Peter Lam Both named minister of roads and bridges, replacing Mijok Majak. Lam Both previously headed the SPLM’s secretariat and played a major role in internal party reforms before leaving that position earlier this year.

Kiir further dismissed Justice Minister Joseph Geng Akech, and named outgoing information minister Michael Makuei Lueth as the replacement.

At the state level, Kiir fired Central Equatoria Governor Rabi Mujung and appointed Emmanuel Adil Anthony to replace him. Central Equatoria, which includes the capital Juba, has been grappling with insecurity, intercommunal tensions over land, and mounting political fragmentation.

In the security sector, Kiir removed Inspector General of Police Abraham Manyuat Kuol and reappointed Said Chawul Lom to the position. Chawul previously served as police chief and returns as the country faces rising urban crime and deteriorating security along major highways.

In foreign affairs, the president reinstated Monica Achol Aguek as a Grade 1 Ambassador and appointed her Presidential Envoy to the Middle East, a role aimed at strengthening ties with Gulf countries.