Bim was supporting the UNMISS-backed event when news of his dismissal by President Salva Kiir Mayardit was broadcast on the state-owned South Sudan Broadcasting Corporation (SSBC).
The announcement, which named Joseph Nguen Manytuil as his replacement, effectively ended Bim’s tenure as he continued engaging with local communities and justice actors in southern Unity State.
At the time of his removal, Bim was addressing residents in Leer, Mayiendit, and Koch counties, emphasising the importance of the mobile court initiative in tackling criminal cases and strengthening the rule of law in conflict-affected areas.
“I will strongly continue to support the mobile court as I promised when I was appointed governor in May 2024,” Bim said during the event, unaware that his dismissal had already been decided in Juba.
He noted that numerous cases had been recorded across the counties and expressed optimism that the mobile court would begin hearing and resolving them within the week.
The mobile court—supported by United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS)—is designed to deliver judicial services to underserved and hard-to-reach communities where formal courts are absent.
Speaking at the same event, UNMISS Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General Graham Maitland reaffirmed the mission’s support for justice initiatives in South Sudan.
“We will continue to support mobile courts across the country. UNMISS cannot establish permanent courts—that remains the responsibility of the Ministry of Justice—but we can help bring justice closer to communities,” Maitland said.
This marked the second deployment of a mobile court in Leer County, following an earlier rollout in April last year, also supported by UNMISS.
Bim’s removal while actively engaged in a justice outreach program underscores the abrupt nature of political transitions in South Sudan, where senior officials can be dismissed without prior notice—even while executing official state functions.
His replacement, Manytuil, previously served as Unity State governor before his earlier removal, making his return part of a broader pattern of leadership reshuffles in the oil-rich state.
The presidency has not publicly provided reasons for Bim’s dismissal.
