South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir has dismissed the country’s military chief and reinstated his predecessor, just three months after sacking him, state-run television announced on Wednesday.
The move marks yet another reshuffle in the upper ranks of South Sudan’s military and government as Kiir faces mounting armed conflict and persistent speculation about his eventual succession.
Kiir, 74, has led a transitional government since the country gained independence from Sudan in 2011. National elections have been postponed twice, and tensions have deepened since First Vice President Riek Machar Kiir’s rival during the 2013–2018 civil war was charged with treason last month.
The South Sudan Broadcasting Corporation reported that Kiir had appointed Paul Nang Majok as Chief of Defence Forces, replacing Dau Aturjong, who has been reassigned as a technical adviser at the defence ministry. No reason was given for the decision.
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Kiir had previously removed Majok from the same position in July after seven months in office, replacing him with Aturjong. That earlier change followed renewed clashes in the northeast, where government forces were briefly overrun by a militia from Machar’s Nuer ethnic group.
Machar, who was placed under house arrest in March, is on trial for treason, murder, and crimes against humanity charges he denies. His detention has fuelled fears of renewed civil conflict, with his supporters accusing the government of breaching the 2018 peace and power-sharing deal.
Analysts say Kiir’s repeated government and military reshuffles are part of efforts to consolidate his power and maintain a delicate balance among rival factions. Last month, United Nations investigators accused South Sudan’s political elite of “systematic looting” of the country’s resources for personal gain.
