Kiir sacks VP Bol Mel after rumors of presidential ambitions, slashes rank to private

JUBA — South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir Mayardit on Wednesday night dismissed Vice President Benjamin Bol Mel, stripped him of all political and military positions, and demoted him from the rank of general to private, state television reported.

In a series of decrees broadcast on the state-owned South Sudan Broadcasting Corporation (SSBC), Kiir announced Bol’s removal as Vice President and head of the government’s Economic Cluster, his dismissal as Deputy Chairperson of the ruling Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM), and his demotion within the National Security Service (NSS).

The South Sudanese president did not immediately name any successor for Mel, leaving a key leadership vacuum in the government’s economic sector.

The sudden move came just hours after Bol’s office denied reports that he had been placed under house arrest. Earlier that morning, multiple security sources told Sudans Post that forces led by the NSS chief and the head of military intelligence had surrounded Bol’s Juba residence around 7 a.m., disarmed his guards, and ordered Ugandan troops assigned to protect him to withdraw.

The action fueled widespread speculation about Bol’s detention and deepened uncertainty around the country’s political stability.

Bol, 52, a wealthy businessman-turned-politician, was once seen as one of Kiir’s most trusted allies and a rising star within the SPLM. His swift political ascent—from his appointment as Vice President in February to his promotion to SPLM First Deputy Chairman in May and his elevation to full General in September—sparked speculation that he was being positioned as Kiir’s potential successor.

However, Bol’s growing assertiveness and visible political ambitions reportedly unsettled Kiir and his close circle. His regional tours, outspoken economic agenda, and growing support base within the SPLM were viewed as early signs of a presidential bid, which insiders say weakened his ties with Kiir.

Several observers told Sudans Post that Bol’s downfall was the result of mounting suspicion that he was attempting to challenge the president’s authority from within.

Analysts also argue that Bol has been widely perceived as one of the key figures behind the collapse of the revitalized peace agreement, with critics accusing him of obstructing reform efforts and undermining the power-sharing framework with opposition groups.

His tenure as head of the economic cluster was marred by allegations of corruption, mismanagement of public funds, and failure to curb inflation and stabilize the economy, despite earlier promises of reform.

In other presidential decrees, Kiir also reshuffled several top positions in government and the ruling party, signaling a broader consolidation of power.

Paul Logale, the SPLM Secretary-General, was dismissed and replaced by Akol Paul Kordit, a loyalist known for his hardline defense of the party’s hierarchy.

The change marks a strategic realignment within the SPLM’s leadership structure, aimed at tightening Kiir’s grip over party operations ahead of next year’s planned elections.

At the economic level, Addis Ababa Othow, Governor of the Bank of South Sudan, was relieved of his duties and replaced with Yeni Samuel Costa, a seasoned technocrat who previously served in the Ministry of Finance.

The move comes amid growing frustration over the country’s deepening currency crisis and the central bank’s failure to control runaway inflation as well as the unfolding return to wide-scale conflict.

Meanwhile, Simon Akuei, the Commissioner General of the South Sudan Revenue Authority (SSRA), was sacked and replaced with William Anyuon Kuol.

The reshuffle in the revenue authority is seen as part of Kiir’s effort to restore confidence in the country’s fiscal institutions and address allegations of widespread revenue leakages and corruption.