Salva Kiir Fires Army Chief, Finance Minister in Latest Cabinet Shake-Up

Salva Kiir has dismissed South Sudan’s army chief and finance minister, according to state media reports issued late Wednesday.The changes mark the latest in a series of frequent reshuffles within Kiir’s government in recent years, which analysts say are aimed at strengthening his grip on power amid uncertainty over succession.The dismissed army chief, General Paul Nang, had held the position since October. His leadership had recently faced growing criticism over worsening insecurity across the country. Finance minister Salvatore Garang Mabiordit had been in office for less than three months, having assumed the role on February 23.State broadcaster South Sudan Broadcasting Corporation reported that Kiir reappointed General Santino Deng Wol as army chief. Wol, a close ally of the president from the Bahr el Ghazal region, previously served in the same role between 2020 and 2024.Meanwhile, Kuol Daniel Ayulo, a longtime technocrat who previously worked as an undersecretary in the finance and trade ministries, has been named the new finance minister.South Sudan continues to face challenges in fully implementing reforms under the 2018 peace agreement that ended the country’s five-year civil war, including the integration of armed forces and the organisation of national elections. (Reuters)