By Matik Kueth
In a bold move to reshape the security sector, South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir has enacted a series of sweeping security changes, dismissing key figures in the military, police, and financial sectors.
In a series of presidential decrees broadcasted on the South Sudan Broadcasting Corporation (SSBC) on Monday night, President Kiir relieved Santino Deng Wol, as the army chief and appointed General Paul Nang Majok, a former Undersecretary in the Ministry of Defense and Veterans Affairs, as the new Chief of Defense.
Gen. Paul Nang Majok, previously the Undersecretary in the Ministry of Defense and Veterans Affairs, took the helm as the new army chief.
This is the sixth change in leadership of the army since South Sudan’s independence, following a lineage of generals including James Hoth Mai and Paul Malong Awan.
This marks Deng’s first administrative role after a distinguished military career, including a command of the 3rd Infantry Division of the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF).
The changes continued as General Abraham Peter Manyuat took over as Inspector-General of Police, replacing Lieutenant General Atem Marol Biar, ousted from his position.
However, in the financial realm, Kiir also relieved James Alic Garang, as the governor of the Central Bank and reinstated Johnny Ohisa Damian, as the new governor of the Bank of South Sudan.
These drastic changes, which President Kiir has not publicly justified, follow a violent event that occurred last month in Juba’s Tongpiny district, where security personnel clashed during an operation to capture General Akol Koor Kuc, the former director-general of the Internal Security Bureau.
The encounter led to four deaths, including that of a schoolgirl, and reflected the growing discord within the security forces. The situation prompted Kiir to form a committee to investigate the unrest.
These recent appointments illustrate Kiir’s determination to stabilize a deeply fragmented security sector amid continuing challenges to governance and the ongoing struggle to implement the fragile 2018 peace agreement.