President Salva Kiir of South Sudan has once again reshuffled top government positions, dismissing Central Bank governor Johnny Ohisa and reinstating Addis Ababa Othow. This move highlights a recurring pattern in Kiir’s administration of frequent sackings and reappointments within the government’s inner circle.
The latest changes come as South Sudan grapples with severe inflation, suggesting an attempt to respond to economic pressures. However, analysts argue that the reshuffles primarily serve to consolidate Kiir’s hold on power ahead of the planned December elections, rather than signal genuine reform.
Recycling Loyalists Over Reform
Critics say the repeated reshuffling and recycling of trusted officials reflect either a lack of new talent or a deliberate preference for loyalty over institutional change. Political commentator Amaju Ubur Yalamoi Ayani describes the practice as creating an illusion of change while preserving entrenched elite interests at the expense of ordinary South Sudanese.
Since 2024, Kiir has dismissed and reappointed several key figures, including General Santino Deng Wol, Dr James Wani Igga, and Dr Barnaba Bak Chol, often cycling them through various roles. These moves coincide with the sidelining of opponents linked to detained First Vice-President Riek Machar, who faces treason charges.
Undermining the Peace Agreement
In May, Kiir removed 47 lawmakers aligned with Machar’s SPLM-IO faction, replacing them with rivals loyal to the president. This action, along with amendments to the 2018 power-sharing peace deal that exclude census and security reform obligations, has drawn sharp criticism.
Nathaniel Oyet Pierieno, acting chairman of the SPLM-IO, condemned Kiir’s unilateral dismissals as a breakdown of the Revitalised Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS). He insists that genuine dialogue must happen under international mediation, not through presidential decrees.
Maj-Gen George Aggrey Owinow (rtd), chair of the peace monitoring group RJMEC, warned that such unilateral actions erode trust in the peace process and risk a return to widespread conflict. He called on Kiir to restore positions stripped from SPLM-IO members during government reshuffles.
Power Through Decrees
Experts like Dr Remember Miamingi argue that Kiir’s frequent reshuffles and reliance on presidential decrees are mechanisms to sustain his political dominance. According to Dr Miamingi, the presidency operates as a political marketplace where offices are exchanged for loyalty and financial access, fueling cycles of rivalry within the ruling elite.
As South Sudan faces economic challenges and political uncertainty, Kiir’s strategy of recycling trusted insiders appears aimed at maintaining control rather than addressing underlying governance issues.
