During the swearing-in ceremony at the State House on Wednesday, Kiir urged the new officials to “set aside personal interests” and serve the country with dedication.
“Live up to the responsibilities entrusted to you and serve the interests of the nation above all else,” he told them, according to the Presidential Press Unit.
But despite the President’s appeal for integrity and reform, the line-up reflects a return of well-known loyalists rather than a shift toward fresh leadership.
Notable among those reinstated is Tut Gatluak Manime, who returns as Presidential Advisor on National Security Affairs, a position he held before his dismissal in January 2025. A close ally of Kiir and a key player in regional peace negotiations, Gatluak’s comeback reaffirms his central role in the President’s inner circle.
Africano Mande Gedima was sworn in as Minister of Presidential Affairs, less than a year after being removed as Commissioner-General of the National Revenue Authority in November 2024. Known for his strong administrative style, Africano’s reappointment underscores Kiir’s continued reliance on trusted technocrats despite earlier dismissals.
At the Ministry of Finance and Planning, Dr. Barnaba Bak Chol made a notable return. Bak previously led the ministry until March 2024, when he was fired amid growing economic distress.
His tenure was marked by one of South Sudan’s most controversial financial decisions — the agreement to borrow up to $12.8 billion from a Dubai-based company, owned by a junior member of Abu Dhabi’s ruling family, to be repaid through discounted oil shipments over two decades.
His reinstatement now comes as the South Sudanese Pounds continue to lose value, inflation bites deeper, and public confidence in the economy wanes.
Kiir has often justified frequent reshuffles as efforts to find solutions to South Sudan’s political and economic challenges. Yet, the consistent reappointment of the same individuals has led observers to question whether these changes are genuine reforms or political routine.
Civil society and political activist, Michael Wani, said the return of the old guards hinges more on self-aggrandizement than service delivery to the citizens.
“I am now convinced beyond a reasonable doubt that it’s all about eatology, not service delivery. Let this group eat, and we let them go, bring them back at some point, and the eating continues,” he wrote on X.
Wani said such appointments are also seen as a reflection of Kiir’s governance style — one rooted in loyalty and control. By rotating allies through key institutions, he maintains a delicate balance among competing political interests, ensuring loyalty while preventing any single figure from amassing independent power.
While the President’s calls for accountability and patriotism remain consistent, the results of his reshuffles have been less convincing. Economic hardship, corruption, and weak institutions persist — symptoms of a system that prioritizes political allegiance over performance.
For many South Sudanese, the Wednesday’s ceremony felt like a familiar ritual: new decrees, old faces, and renewed promises of reform. Yet the central question remains — can those who shaped the past deliver a different future?
