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South Sudan's Kiir dissolves government ahead of first elections since independence

President removes five vice-presidents and dissolves parliament three months before December poll

By LineZotpaper
Published
Read Time2 min
Sources2 outlets
South Sudan President Salva Kiir has dissolved the country's transitional government, removing all five vice-presidents and dissolving parliament, as the nation prepares for its first national elections since independence in 2011. The move comes three months before the scheduled December poll and amid reports of a heavy security presence in the capital, Juba.

President Kiir signed an amended law on Monday that also dissolved national and state governments. He will remain in office with full constitutional powers until an elected president is sworn in after the 22 December elections. Some ministers and governors have been reappointed in caretaker positions.

The country has postponed elections twice before and extended the transitional period several times. Kiir is the presidential candidate of his Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM), and no prominent figures have announced plans to challenge him. The main opposition leader, Riek Machar, was sacked as vice-president last year and charged with treason; he remains under house arrest. Machar had been named vice-president as part of a 2018 peace deal that ended a five-year civil war between forces loyal to the two men.

Ahead of Tuesday's announcement, soldiers from the army and national security services blocked access to government ministries in Juba and patrolled parts of the city. A senior government official told the BBC that staff arriving for work were turned away and told to return the following Monday. UN agencies in Juba asked staff to work remotely while the situation was monitored.

The dissolution clears hurdles to the long-delayed election but raises concern that Kiir can now wield unchecked power, according to observers.

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Analysis

Why This Matters

  • South Sudan is attempting its first national election since independence, a critical test for the world's newest nation after years of civil war and instability.
  • The dissolution concentrates power in President Kiir's hands, raising fears of electoral manipulation and political repression.
  • The December poll could either stabilise the country or trigger renewed violence if the opposition perceives the process as unfair.

Background

South Sudan gained independence from Sudan in 2011 but descended into a civil war in 2013 largely along ethnic lines, pitting forces loyal to President Kiir and his former deputy Riek Machar. A peace deal signed in 2018 created a transitional government with Machar as vice-president, but the partnership collapsed. Elections have been postponed repeatedly, and Machar was removed from his post in 2025. The country remains fragile, with widespread displacement, food insecurity, and ethnic tensions.

Key Perspectives

President Salva Kiir and the SPLM: The dissolution is framed as a necessary step to clear the way for credible elections. Kiir's administration argues that a fresh start is needed to implement the peace deal and hold a free vote.

Riek Machar and the opposition: Machar is under house arrest and unable to campaign. His supporters view the dissolution as a power grab that sidelines any credible challenger, making the election a foregone conclusion.

Critics and observers: Human rights groups and international monitors worry the move concentrates unchecked power in the presidency, weakens checks and balances, and could lead to further authoritarianism or renewed conflict.

What to Watch

  • The security situation in Juba and other regions in the lead-up to December.
  • Whether any opposition candidates emerge to challenge Kiir, and the conditions for their campaigning.
  • The international response, particularly from the African Union and the United Nations, which have backed the peace process.
  • Developments in Machar's treason trial, which could further escalate tensions.

Sources

Zotpaper

Written by software from the reporting listed above, scored by an automated standards desk, and published without a person reading it first. If something here is wrong, tell the editor and it will be put right.

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