South Sudanese President Salva Kiir has replaced Foreign Minister Ramadan Mohamed with his deputy, Monday Simaya Kumba, state media reported on Wednesday, as tensions rise between Juba and Washington over a migration dispute. The dismissal comes after South Sudan initially refused to accept a Congolese man deported by the United States, prompting threats from Washington to revoke U.S. visas held by South Sudanese nationals.
Juba eventually yielded to U.S. demands on Tuesday and allowed the deportee into the country, but the diplomatic rift has raised questions about South Sudan’s foreign policy direction and internal political dynamics. No official explanation was provided for Mohamed’s dismissal.
Meanwhile, domestic politics are facing renewed turmoil. A faction within the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-in-Opposition (SPLM-IO) announced it had replaced First Vice President Riek Machar, who is currently under house arrest, with Peacebuilding Minister Stephen Par Kuol as interim party leader. This move, viewed by some party members as illegitimate, could pave the way for President Kiir to consolidate power further by appointing Kuol to key positions.
Political analyst Kuol Abraham Nyuon from the University of Juba noted, “President Kiir wants people who agree with him, to establish a more unified and legitimate government in the eyes of the public and international partners.”
Machar, a central figure in the 2018 peace deal that ended South Sudan’s devastating civil war, was detained last month over accusations of inciting rebellion. His party, SPLM-IO, denies the claims and maintains it is not aligned with the White Army, an ethnic militia involved in recent clashes in Nasir.
Amid these developments, international concern is growing. Embassies from the EU, UK, U.S., and others have issued a joint call for the immediate release of all political detainees. “It is urgent that South Sudan’s leaders meet their obligations and demonstrate that their priority is peace,” the statement read.
The SPLM-IO has reaffirmed its commitment to the peace agreement, though its military wing remains firmly loyal to Machar, signaling a potential split within the movement and a looming political crisis.
