South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir Mayardit issued a decree on Wednesday dismissing Benjamin Bol Mel from his position as Vice President and Deputy Chair of the ruling party, in a surprise move seen by observers as a decisive break with the man widely viewed as the potential successor to the 74-year-old leader.
The decree also included the dismissal of the Central Bank governor and the head of the Revenue Authority, both close allies of Bol Mel, who had only been appointed vice president a few months ago.
These developments come amid growing political turmoil and increasing uncertainty about the future of power in the world’s youngest nation.
The presidential decree gave no clear reasons for the dismissals, but sources in Juba reported early signs of a security withdrawal from around Bol Mel’s residence just hours before the announcement — an indication that the move had been anticipated. His military rank was also downgraded, only weeks after he had been promoted to the rank of general.
Bol Mel’s dismissal was not an isolated event. It followed a string of similar reshuffles made by President Kiir in recent months. In November 2025, he dismissed Finance Minister Athian Deng Athian less than three months after his appointment and replaced him with Barnaba Bak Chol, in what analysts described as a continuation of instability within key state institutions.
This marks the eighth change in the Finance Ministry since 2020, reflecting a recurring pattern of upheavals across senior government positions, including the presidency and key economic institutions.
Bol Mel has long faced corruption allegations. The United States sanctioned him in 2017, accusing him of profiting from his role as the president’s financial adviser — an accusation denied by the presidency at the time.
In September last year, a UN report accused companies linked to him of receiving about $1.7 billion for road construction projects that were never completed. Bol Mel has never publicly responded to these allegations.
His rise to the vice presidency had been met with resistance from segments of the political and security elite in Juba, amid growing speculation that he was being positioned as Salva Kiir’s political heir.
However, his sudden removal has reshuffled the political landscape and opened the door to uncertain new scenarios.
The country’s long-delayed elections have been postponed multiple times, while First Vice President Riek Machar, Kiir’s historic rival, faces treason charges following his arrest in March — a development that has intensified clashes between government forces and various armed groups.
Analysts say these developments further cloud South Sudan’s political outlook and raise fears that the ongoing power struggles could trigger a renewed cycle of violence in a country still struggling to recover from years of civil war.