South Sudan’s President Dissolves Government Ahead of First National Elections

Thu Sep 24 2026 03:11:53 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Salva Kiir dissolved the transitional government and removed the vice‑presidents just months before South Sudan’s first ever election.

South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir has dissolved the transitional government and expelled the five vice‑presidents, a move that precedes the country’s inaugural national elections scheduled for December. The decision, taken under an amended law, also brings an end to an extended transitional period that has postponed elections twice since independence in 2011. Kiir, who is the presidential candidate of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM), will retain full constitutional powers until an elected president is sworn in. The heavy security presence in Juba underscores the tense atmosphere amid political uncertainty, while the main opposition figure Riek Machar remains under house arrest. The dissolution comes after the dismissal of the national elections commission chairman, raising questions over the integrity of the upcoming polls.

South Sudan’s President Dissolves Government Ahead of First National Elections

In a decisive move ahead of the country’s first ever national poll, President Salva Kiir dissolved South Sudan’s transitional government, ousting the five vice‑presidents and dissolving parliament.

The transitional period, which began after South Sudan’s 2011 independence, has been extended several times and delayed elections twice. Kiir’s amended law terminates the current governmental structure and affirms his role as the sole presidential candidate for the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM).

No high‑profile opposition figures have announced challenges to Kiir, though the main rival, Riek Machar, who was the former vice‑president under the 2018 peace deal, is now in house arrest after a treason charge and his dismissal last year.

With the dissolution of the state structures, the president will maintain full constitutional authority until an elected official is sworn in on 22 December. Some ministers and governors are retained in caretaker roles pending the polls.

Security forces tightened their presence in Juba as the announcement unfolded. Soldiers blocked access to ministries and patrolled city streets, and government employees were asked to return the following Monday.

The United Nations agencies urged staff in Juba to work remotely while conditions were continued to be monitored.

This development comes after Kiir dismissed the national elections commission’s chairman, Abednego Akok Kacuol, replacing him with the commission’s secretary‑general, Gabriel Bol Deng, without explanation. There remain concerns over the commission’s funding and the fairness of the electoral process.