South Sudan’s Kiir dissolves government ahead of first national elections

President’s move clears hurdles to long delayed election and raises concern he can now wield unchecked power.

South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir arrives at the Presidential Palace in Juba, South Sudan, on February 3, 2023 [File: Gregorio Borgia/AP Photo]

South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir has dissolved the country’s transitional unity government and appointed a caretaker administration as the country prepares for its first-ever national elections.

The decree on Tuesday ended a power-sharing arrangement set up under a 2018 peace deal that halted years of civil war, and raised concerns that Kiir could now wield unchecked power.

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The decree, read out by the national broadcaster, said all vice-presidents, ministers and local administrators have been removed and that the national and state assemblies have been dissolved.

The judiciary and security institutions remain in place, while Kiir will stay in office “during the election period until the next elected president assumes office”, it said.

The decree came a day after the parliament approved changes to the National Elections Act that allowed Kiir to stay in power during the election period, while removing all vice presidents, who were appointed under the 2018 peace deal.

The changes mean that South Sudan can move towards elections scheduled for December 22, without first completing a permanent constitution or census – two processes that were previously tied to the transition.

The main opposition alliance has rejected the changes.

South Sudan’s suspended First Vice President Riek Machar inside a steel-caged dock before his trial on charges including treason and crimes against humanity, in Juba, South Sudan, on September 22, 2025 [File: Stringer/Reuters]

Elections were initially expected in 2022 but have been postponed twice.

Tasks still outstanding under the 2018 peace deal include drafting a permanent constitution, registering voters and unifying the armed forces loyal to rival parties.

That agreement followed five years of civil war that killed about 400,000 people and displaced millions, according to the United Nations.

Amnesty International, a prominent rights group, called Kiir’s decree a “decisive step” towards the country’s first-ever elections. But Tigere Chagutah, Amnesty International’s regional director for East and Southern Africa, urged the authorities to “ensure that a conducive environment exists for people to vote and stand in elections”.

Analysts meanwhile warned that the changes offered Kiir unfettered control.

“Kiir will be the only person in power, without vice-presidents, without the executive, without the parliament,” Michael Wani, a lawyer and former member of the constitution drafting committee, told the AFP news agency.

Independent analyst Machot Amuom told AFP there was a lot of “ambiguity” in the legal changes. “The new law gives the president full powers … He can decide even not to go for elections for another year or another two years,” Amuom told AFP.

Last week, Kiir also replaced the head of the elections commission without giving a reason. South Sudan Broadcasting Corporation (SSBC) said the new chief, Gabriel Bol Deng Majok, had been given a “fresh mandate” to oversee preparations for the polls.

The preparations come as Kiir’s longtime rival Riek Machar, who leads the opposition Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-in-Opposition (SPLM-IO), remains under house arrest. He is on trial on charges including treason and murder, which he denies.

The transition is also taking place under tight security.

AFP reported checkpoints and road closures around the government complex in the capital, Juba, while security personnel were ordered to remain on heightened alert for three days.

总统此举扫清了长期拖延的选举障碍，也引发了人们对他现在可以不受制约地行使权力的担忧。

2023年2月3日，南苏丹总统萨尔瓦·基尔抵达南苏丹首都朱巴的总统府。[图片：格雷戈里奥·博尔吉亚/美联社照片]

南苏丹总统萨尔瓦·基尔解散了该国的过渡联合政府，并任命了一个看守政府，该国正准备举行有史以来的首次全国选举。

周二颁布的法令终止了根据 2018 年和平协议建立的权力分享安排，该协议结束了多年的内战，并引发了人们对基尔现在可能拥有不受制约的权力的担忧。

南苏丹的肤色歧视（共 3 项，第 1 项）

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列表 3/3：南苏丹最新的和平协议能否持久？

国家广播公司宣读的法令称，所有副总统、部长和地方行政长官均已被免职，国家议会和州议会均已解散。

声明称，司法和安全机构将继续留任，基尔将在“选举期间继续留任，直到下一任当选总统就职”。

该法令颁布的前一天，议会批准了对《国家选举法》的修改，允许基尔在选举期间继续掌权，同时撤换了所有根据 2018 年和平协议任命的副总统。

这些变化意味着南苏丹可以朝着定于 12 月 22 日举行的选举迈进，而无需先完成永久宪法或人口普查——这两个进程此前都与过渡时期挂钩。

主要反对派联盟拒绝接受这些改变。

2025年9月22日，南苏丹被停职的第一副总统里克·马查尔在南苏丹首都朱巴的法庭上，被关押在钢笼被告席上，等待因叛国罪和反人类罪等指控受审。[图片：Stringer/路透社]

选举原定于2022年举行，但已被推迟两次。

2018 年和平协议下仍未完成的任务包括起草永久宪法、登记选民以及统一效忠于敌对政党的武装部队。

据联合国称，该协议是在长达五年的内战之后达成的，这场内战造成约 40 万人死亡，数百万人流离失所。

著名人权组织国际特赦组织称基尔的法令是该国首次大选迈出的“决定性一步”。但国际特赦组织东非和南部非洲区域主任蒂格雷·查古塔敦促当局“确保为民众创造有利于投票和参选的环境”。

与此同时，分析人士警告称，这些变化赋予了基尔不受限制的控制权。

“基尔将是唯一掌权的人，没有副总统，没有行政部门，也没有议会，”律师兼宪法起草委员会前成员迈克尔·瓦尼告诉法新社。

独立分析师马乔特·阿穆姆告诉法新社，法律修改中存在很多“模糊之处”。阿穆姆告诉法新社：“新法律赋予总统全权……他甚至可以决定一年或两年内不举行选举。”

上周，基尔在未说明理由的情况下更换了选举委员会主席。南苏丹广播公司（SSBC）称，新任主席加布里埃尔·博尔·邓·马约克被赋予了“新的使命”，负责监督选举筹备工作。

基尔的长期竞争对手、反对派苏丹人民解放运动（反对派）（SPLM-IO）领导人里克·马查尔目前仍被软禁在家。他正面临叛国罪和谋杀罪等指控的审判，但他否认所有指控。

过渡工作也在严密的安保措施下进行。

法新社报道称，首都朱巴政府大楼周围设立了检查站并封闭了道路，同时命令安全人员保持高度戒备状态三天。