JUBA – President Salva Kiir removed Western Bahr el Ghazal Governor Premio Emmanuel Okello, the last remaining official nominated by the SPLM-IO party, dealing another blow to the power-sharing agreement.
In the decrees read on state television SSBC, Kiir also appointed Sherif Daniel Sherif as the new governor – a little-known figure – replacing Okello.
The SPLM-IO nominated three governors of Upper Nile, Western Equatoria and Western Bahr el Ghazal, in accordance with a power sharing consensus in the 2018 revitalized agreement.
They have all been kicked out of power in a mass firing campaign by President Kiir targeting SPLM-IO camp since the peace deal threatened to crumble early this year.
Observers say the country’s peace deal is facing an eminent collapse following escalating political tensions, arrests of opposition figures, and delayed implementation of transitional tasks like security sector reform.
The country also faces persistent intercommunal violence and a severe humanitarian crisis exacerbated by the war in Sudan.
Ministerial reshufle
President Kiir also relieved Minister of Youth and Sports Joseph Geng Akec and appointed him as new Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, replacing Mamer Kuol, who he removed in a similar decree.
Kiir then appointed Kuol as Minister of Parliamentary Affairs to succeed Mary Nawai, who is appointed as Minister of Youth and Sports.
Taban Abel was also removed from his post as deputy commissioner of the South Sudan Revenue Authority and replaced by John Malek.