South Sudanese President Salva Kiir has replaced Foreign Minister Ramadan Mohamed with his deputy, Monday Simaya Kumba, following a migration dispute with the United States, which threatened to revoke all US visas held by South Sudanese citizens over Juba’s refusal to admit a Congolese man deported from the US.
The move is seen as part of a broader power struggle within the government, with Kiir, 73, appearing to shore up his position amid discontent within his own political camp and speculation about his succession plan.
Meanwhile, a faction of South Sudan’s main opposition party, SPLM-IO, has replaced its chairman, First Vice President Riek Machar, with an interim leader, Peacebuilding Minister Stephen Par Kuol, until Machar is released from house arrest, a move that could allow Kiir to consolidate his power over the government.
Machar’s detention has sparked concerns from the international community, with embassies of France, Germany, Netherlands, Norway, the UK, US, and the European Union in Juba calling for his immediate release, citing the need for South Sudan’s leaders to prioritize peace.
The SPLM-IO’s military wing remains loyal to Machar, and the party has vowed to uphold the 2018 peace deal that ended the five-year civil war, but African Union mediators are working to rescue the deal amid ongoing tensions.
