South Sudan President Salva Kiir has sacked the army chief General Santino Deng Wol and the central bank governor Alic Garang in the latest purge of the country’s security and economic institutions.
Mr Garang has been replaced by Johnny Ohisa Damia, who previously held the same position, while General Paul Nang Majok is the new head of the military.
Gen Wol was reassigned as undersecretary in the Ministry of Defence and Veterans Affairs, replacing Atak Santino Majak, who has been relieved of his duties.
In a series of presidential decrees, President Kiir has reshuffled key positions in South Sudan's military, financial and administrative sectors, signalling a major shake-up in the country’s leadership.
The sacking of the military chief comes just months after the police and spy chiefs were also purged.
The decrees also stated that Samuel Yanga Mikaya, the first deputy governor of the Bank of South Sudan, has been removed and replaced by Yeni Samuel Costa.
At the Ministry of Finance and Planning, Garang Majak was relieved of his duties as the first undersecretary. Arop Nuoi Arop was appointed to take over that role.
The reshuffle reflects either a broader effort to improve governance amid economic challenges or an attempt to fill positions with the most loyal servants. However, the frequent changes can be a source of instability and lack of institutional memory with new entrants often having little time to prove themselves.
In the military, the role of the chief of defence forces has often been a revolving door. South Sudan has been slow to reform its security sector, including unifying army factions that fought each other before the 2018 peace deal that created a coalition government known as the Transitional Government of National Unity (TGoNU).
The transitional government was forced to extend its mandate in September after plans for elections in December ran into financial and other capacity problems. Elections are now scheduled for February 2026.
President Kiir has also fired the Inspector General of Police, Gen Atem Marol, and appointed Gen Abraham Peter Manyuat to the post. The reshuffle marks a notable reorganisation of the leadership within South Sudan's security apparatus.
No official reasons have been given for the dismissals and reassignments. President Kiir cited his constitutional power to appoint and remove public officials, a prerogative often exercised in such reshuffles.
The changes come at a time when South Sudan faces multiple challenges, including economic instability, ongoing security concerns, and the implementation of the 2018 Revitalised Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS).
