Vice President, Revenue and Central Bank Governor Fired in Latest Decree

(JUBA) – President Salva Kiir Mayardit has dismissed Vice President Dr Benjamin Bol Mel, who also served as First Deputy Chairman of the ruling Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM), in a wide ranging leadership reshuffle announced through a series of Republican Decrees issued in Juba on Wednesday evening.

The announcement broadcast on state television marks one of the most dramatic political shifts in recent years. Dr Bol Mel was widely seen as a close ally and possible successor to the president. He was removed from both his government and party roles.

In a separate decree, he was also stripped of his military rank, demoted from general to private and dismissed from the National Security Service.

The decrees also included the dismissal of Dr Addis Ababa Othow, Governor of the Bank of South Sudan and Simon Akuei Deng, Commissioner General of the South Sudan Revenue Authority.

They were replaced by Yohanes Samuel Kosta and William Anyuon Kuol respectively. Akol Paul Kuoldit was named the new SPLM Secretary General, replacing Paul Logale. No replacement was named for Dr Bol Mel’s position as Vice President in charge of the Economic Cluster.

The changes come amid growing political tension within the ruling party, where questions of succession and loyalty have increasingly shaped internal dynamics.

Dr Bol Mel, aged 52, had risen quickly through the ranks over the past year, taking charge of the government’s economic cluster and later assuming the position of SPLM First Deputy Chairman.

He was seen as a powerful figure in economic decision making and a key link between government ministries and the private sector. His dismissal follows months of speculation about internal disagreements within the top leadership.

Reports from several local and international media outlets suggest that Dr Bol Mel’s security detail was withdrawn from both his residence and office in Juba earlier in the day, hours before the decrees were made public. According to associates, the sudden move left him without any official protection.

“This is a vice president. You cannot leave him without protection and security,” one aide told journalists, speaking on condition of anonymity. “The entire security team was withdrawn this morning, and by evening none of the guards and escorts remained.”

The government has not provided an official explanation for either the withdrawal of security or the dismissal. However, some officials familiar with the situation say the decision likely came directly from the top levels of government.

Until recently, relations between President Kiir and Dr Bol Mel had appeared cordial, with the two leaders meeting regularly at public and official events. The decision to remove him is seen by some observers as part of a deeper political reshuffle within the SPLM, possibly linked to growing divisions over future leadership succession.

Dr Bol Mel has been under United States sanctions since 2017 over corruption allegations, which he has never publicly addressed. A United Nations report released in September accused companies linked to him of receiving about 12 trillion South Sudanese Pounds (approximately 1.7 billion US Dollars) in payments for road construction projects that were never completed.

Just hours before his dismissal, the Office of the Vice President had released a statement assuring the public that Dr Bol Mel was continuing his official duties as usual. The statement thanked citizens, diplomats, and international partners for their support, describing social media rumours about his removal as “unfounded.”

The statement, signed by his Press Secretary Oyiti Yoanes Akol Ajawin, said Dr Bol Mel remained committed to implementing President Kiir’s vision for “a prosperous and self reliant South Sudan,” and accused unnamed individuals of trying to derail the country’s progress.

The latest reshuffle also reflects growing pressure within the administration to address public frustration over corruption and economic mismanagement.

President Kiir appears to be consolidating control over key financial and political institutions by replacing senior officials in the central bank, the revenue authority and the SPLM Secretariat,

While supporters of the decision say it could signal a fresh start in economic reform, others warn it may deepen divisions within the ruling party ahead of the country’s next election period.

Dr Bol Mel’s removal leaves a major vacancy in the government’s economic cluster, which oversees national fiscal planning and revenue collection. It remains unclear when the president will name a replacement.

Key Changes Announced in the Republican Decrees