Kiir sacks Mayiik Ayii as foreign minister

JUBA, MARCH 8, 2023 (SUDANS POST) – President Salva Kiir Mayardit on Wednesday night issued a republican decree sacking the country’s foreign minister.

The decree readout on the state-own South Sudan Broadcasting Corporation (SSBC) removed Mayiik Ayii Deng who was appointed by the president about eighteen (18) months ago and last served as minister of presidential affairs.

The president did not name a replacement immediately, but asked deputy foreign minister Deng Dau to handle the role of foreign minister until when he makes up his mind.

Kiir’s sacking of foreign minister comes less than a week after the removal of the defense and interior ministers.

Kiir also issued a separate decree removing the defense ministry from the SPLM-IO and giving it to his own party. He then took the interior ministry portfolio from his party and gave it to the main armed opposition group.

The SPLM-IO led by First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar Teny rejected the changes and called on the president to revoke his decision and reappoint Angelina Teny, the opposition official representing the SPLM-IO in the government as defense minister.

Kiir has not yet responded and there are no signs that he will change his mind.