By Brian Kiprono & Agencies - Reporter
South Sudan, 13 November 2025 - South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir has dismissed his Vice President, Benjamin Bol Mel, in a surprise move that has drawn national and international attention.
Bol, once seen as a possible successor to Kiir, has also been stripped of his senior positions in both the ruling party and the army.
The decision was announced in a presidential decree read on South Sudan Broadcasting Corporation on Wednesday evening. According to the decree, Bol was removed from his post as Vice President, deputy chairperson of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM), and demoted from General to Private in the national security service.
“Pursuant to the provisions of Section 51(4) of the National Security Service Act, 2014 (as amended), I, Salva Kiir Mayardit, President of the Republic of South Sudan and the Supreme Commander of All Regular Forces, do hereby demote Gen. Dr. Benjamin Bol Mel to the rank of Private, and he is hereby dismissed from the National Security Service (NSS),” the November 12 decree read on the state broadcaster.
No reason was given for the firing, and no replacement has yet been named.
Benjamin Bol Mel has long been regarded as one of South Sudan’s most influential leaders. Apart from his political career, he is a successful businessman with major interests in the country’s oil and construction sectors. His close ties to President Kiir and wide influence within the army made him one of the most powerful figures in the nation.
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Political analysts suggest the sacking may be connected to rising tensions within the SPLM as South Sudan prepares for its first-ever elections, expected in December 2025. Many believe Kiir is moving to tighten his control and reduce potential threats within the party.
The removal of Bol Mel has sparked uncertainty about the stability of the 2018 peace agreement, which ended years of civil war and brought a fragile unity government.
So far, Bol Mel has not publicly responded to the president’s decision. Government officials, meanwhile, have called for calm, urging citizens to trust that the move serves the country’s best interests.
South Sudan, which gained independence in 2011, remains one of the world’s most oil-dependent and politically unstable nations. The latest shake-up adds to growing concerns about peace and unity ahead of next year’s historic vote.
