South Sudan’s President Kiir Dismisses Army Chief, Finance Minister
Salva Kiir has dismissed Paul Nang as the country’s military chief and removed Finance Minister Salvatore Garang Mabiordit, who had held office for less than three months.
The changes, announced late Wednesday by South Sudan Broadcasting Corporation, are the latest in a series of frequent reshuffles within the government and military leadership in South Sudan.
Analysts say the repeated changes in top government positions reflect efforts by Kiir to consolidate power amid uncertainty over political succession and ongoing security concerns.
General Paul Nang had served as army chief since October 2025, but his tenure reportedly came under growing scrutiny as insecurity worsened in parts of the country.
Kiir has now reappointed Santino Deng Wol as army chief. Wol, a close ally of the president from the Bahr El Gazal region, previously held the same position between 2020 and 2024.
Meanwhile, Kuol Daniel Ayulo has been named the new finance minister. Ayulo is described as a career technocrat who previously served as an undersecretary in both the finance and trade ministries.
South Sudan continues to face challenges in implementing key provisions of the 2018 peace agreement that ended a five-year civil war, including reforms such as the unification of armed forces and the conduct of national elections.
South Sudan’s President Kiir Dismisses Army Chief, Finance Minister