JUBA, South Sudan — President Salva Kiir has dismissed Vice-President Benjamin Bol Mel, stripping him of his military rank and removing him from the National Security Service. The decree, broadcast on state television, also announced the dismissal of the central bank governor and the head of the revenue authority, both considered close allies of Bol Mel.
No official explanation was given for the shake-up, which comes amid growing fears of political instability and a possible return to civil war following the collapse of a fragile power-sharing agreement between Kiir and opposition leader Riek Machar.
Bol Mel’s Rise and Fall
Bol Mel, 47, was appointed vice-president in February, replacing veteran politician James Wani Igga. He was later elevated to first deputy chairman of the ruling SPLM party, a position analysts said strengthened his influence and positioned him as a potential successor to the 74-year-old Kiir.
His appointment came despite U.S. sanctions imposed in 2017 for alleged corruption, which were renewed earlier this year. The U.S. Treasury described him as Kiir’s “principal financial advisor,” a claim the president’s office denied. Bol Mel has not publicly responded to the corruption allegations and has yet to comment on his dismissal.
Political Fallout
The move has fueled speculation of an internal power struggle within the SPLM. A senior government official, speaking anonymously, described Bol Mel as a “divisive figure” and welcomed his removal.
South Sudan, which gained independence in 2011, was plunged into civil war two years later after Kiir and Machar fell out. The 2018 peace agreement has struggled to hold, with tensions and sporadic violence continuing.
Rising Concerns
Planned elections have been postponed twice in the past three years, while clashes between forces loyal to Kiir and armed groups have escalated. Machar himself was dismissed as vice-president earlier this year, arrested, and charged with murder, treason, and crimes against humanity — a move his supporters call a “political witch-hunt.”
The charges followed an attack by a militia allegedly linked to Machar, which the government said killed 250 soldiers and a general. Analysts warn that Bol Mel’s removal, combined with Machar’s ongoing trial, could deepen divisions and heighten the risk of renewed civil unrest in the oil-rich nation.