JUBA — South Sudanese presidential aspirants Kornelio Kon Ngu and Dr. Issa Muzamil Sebit Makelele on Wednesday challenged President Salva Kiir’s caretaker appointments, calling for wider consultation and neutrality as the country moves toward elections.
The criticism comes a day after President Kiir dissolved the Transitional Government of National Unity and appointed caretaker officials to run government affairs for three months ahead of elections.
Addressing journalists at a press conference in Juba on Wednesday, Kornelio Kon Ngu, Chairperson of the National Alliance, questioned the decision to appoint some of the same officials who served in the dissolved government, saying the caretaker administration should include people capable of overseeing the country fairly during the electoral period.
“We had agreed previously that any appointment must be in consultation, but this did not happen. The president dissolved the government and appointed the same people,” Kon said.
Kon said South Sudan has many capable people who can take up responsibilities in government and called for a review of the appointments.
“Those who are appointed don’t deserve to be caretakers; South Sudan is full of patriotic and capable people who can run this country,” he added.
He urged President Kiir to dismiss officials he considers unsuitable and consult political parties before appointing others.
“The president is supposed to dismiss them, and the president does consultations to appoint capable people,” Kon said.
Kon also defended the passage of the amended election law, saying it should not be presented as a victory for the ruling Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM).
“Our agreement to pass the election act was not a victory for the SPLM, for them to shout at the President’s Office, SPLM-Oyee. It was not a victory,” he said.
“It was a national moral act that we had to make reforms so that the people of South Sudan would have the opportunity to vote for their leaders. That was the goal. But it was not a victory.”
For his part, Dr. Issa Muzamil Sebit Makelele, Chairperson of the National Patriotic Movement (NPM), also questioned the composition of the caretaker government.
Muzamil said most of the officials appointed so far are members of the ruling SPLM.
“NPM observes that since a partial formation of caretaker government was done on 22nd September, 2026, most of the officials appointed are from SPLM, and no consultation was done with the registered political parties,” he said.
He called on President Kiir to ensure that caretaker officials remain neutral and fair while carrying out their duties.
“NPM urges His Excellency President Salva Kiir to supervise the caretaker officials and direct them to be neutral and fair in exercising their duties,” Muzamil said.
Muzamil also warned against the use of public resources for political campaigns, saying government resources should not be used to benefit the ruling party or individual political actors.
“Public resources must not be used for political campaigns by the ruling party and other individuals contrary to the law,” he said.
He also raised concerns over the appointment of officials with records of corruption, saying the caretaker government should be made up of people capable of serving the country during the electoral period.
