South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir has sacked Deng Lual Wol as the petroleum ministry’s undersecretary and replaced him with Chol Thon Abel, the fourth time he has transferred the post between the two in less than two months.
This move is part of Kiir’s pattern of repeatedly sacking and reinstating senior officials, a tactic analysts say is aimed at maintaining control and rewarding loyalists amid increasing armed conflict and speculation about his succession.
The oil sector is South Sudan’s main source of revenue, but exports have plunged due to damage to pipelines caused by the civil war in neighboring Sudan.
The constant turnover within government ministries has encouraged corruption, as officials seek personal gain if they feel their tenure is limited.
The United Nations has accused political elites of engaging in “systematic looting of the nation’s wealth for private gain”.
