South Sudanese President Salva Kiir has dismissed the country’s military chief, Dau Aturjong, and reinstated his predecessor, Paul Nang Majok, just three months after removing him, state television announced late Wednesday.
The unexpected move marks yet another shake-up within South Sudan’s security ranks, underscoring Kiir’s continuing struggle to balance power among rival factions as the fragile nation grapples with internal conflict and uncertainty over his eventual succession.
Aturjong, who had served as Chief of Defence Forces since July, has been reassigned as a technical adviser at the defence ministry. The government did not provide a reason for the latest reshuffle.
Majok’s earlier dismissal came shortly after the army was overrun in the northeast by a militia linked to First Vice President Riek Machar’s Nuer ethnic group. Machar, Kiir’s longtime rival and former rebel leader, is currently facing trial on charges of treason, murder, and crimes against humanity — allegations he denies.
His detention has raised fears of renewed civil war, with supporters accusing the government of breaching the 2018 peace and power-sharing deal that ended years of bloody conflict.
Observers say Kiir’s frequent changes in key military and political positions reflect attempts to consolidate authority and manage the delicate balance among South Sudan’s deeply divided power blocs.
The United Nations recently accused South Sudan’s political elite of “systematic looting” of national resources, warning that ongoing instability and corruption continue to undermine peace and development in the world’s youngest country.
Melissa Enoch
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