Salva Kiir makes controversial move to disband parliament and remove vice presidents, raising concerns about democratic process
South Sudan is plunging deeper into political turmoil after President Salva Kiir made the dramatic decision to dissolve the country's transitional government, parliament, and all national and state governments. This shocking move comes just three months before the nation is scheduled to hold its first elections since gaining independence in 2011.
The controversial decision, formalized through an amended law signed on Monday, saw Kiir strip the country of its five vice presidents while simultaneously removing Gabriel Bol Deng, the secretary-general of the national elections commission, without providing any explanation for his dismissal. Bol Deng was replaced by Abednego Akok Kacuol, who had previously served as the commission's chairman.
The timing of these actions has sparked widespread alarm among observers and opposition groups who fear the government is attempting to undermine the electoral process. The elections commission had already flagged serious financial constraints, with officials stating they needed two hundred and fifty million dollars to conduct the elections properly but had only received twenty-one million dollars by August.
President Kiir, who is the presidential candidate of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement, currently faces no prominent challengers for the December poll. However, his consolidation of power has not gone unopposed. The main opposition party, the Sudan People's Liberation Movement in Opposition, led by Riek Machar, warned citizens against participating in election preparations.
Machar, who was stripped of his vice presidency last year and charged with treason, issued a stark warning that anyone involved in voter registration campaigns in territories controlled by his faction would be considered prisoners of war.
The international community has taken notice of the deteriorating situation. The Reconstituted Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission, which oversees implementation of the 2018 peace agreement that ended a devastating five-year civil war, described South Sudan as having entered a critical phase.
The body expressed deep concern that several key aspects of the peace agreement remained incomplete and urged both the government and opposition to work toward credible elections and a peaceful conclusion to the transitional period, which has lasted since independence.
Adding to the tension, a heavy military and security presence was reported in Juba ahead of the announcement. Armed forces and national security personnel blocked access to government ministries, and soldiers were spotted conducting patrols throughout parts of the capital city.
International organizations operating in the country also took precautions, with UN agencies asking their staff to work remotely, while the BBC and other international news organizations were turned away and instructed to return the following Monday.
These developments underscore the fragility of South Sudan's democratic institutions and raise serious questions about whether the December elections will be conducted in a free and fair manner. With Machar under house arrest and the opposition threatening to boycott proceedings, the path toward a genuine democratic transition remains deeply uncertain.
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