South Sudan’s President Shuts Down Transitional Government Ahead of First Election

President Salva Kiir announced today that he has dissolved South Sudan’s transitional government, three months before the country’s first national election since its independence in 2011. The decision was made under a newly amended law that allows the president to remove vice‑presidents, dissolve parliament and dismiss national and state governments.

Kiir, who stands as the presidential candidate for the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM), has yet to face a prominent challenger. The main opposition figure, former vice‑president Riek Machar, has been removed from office, charged with treason and is currently under house arrest. Machar had been appointed as vice‑president as part of a 2018 peace deal that ended a five‑year civil war.

With the transitional structures dissolved, Kiir will retain full constitutional authority until an elected president is sworn in after the December poll. He has re‑appointed a handful of ministers and governors in caretaker capacities to manage day‑to‑day governance during the campaign period.

Security forces announced a heavy presence in the capital, Juba, following the dissolution. Army and national security officers blocked access to ministries, escorted staff and monitored the city to curb potential unrest. A senior government official warned that arrivals for work would be turned away until a week later; UN agencies in Juba similarly asked staff to work remotely while the situation was closely watched.

The move has drawn criticism from analysts who argue that it could jeopardise the fairness of the first vote, especially in a country where the political landscape remains highly fragile and the 2018 peace agreement has yet to be fully implemented.

Salva Kiir is seeking re‑election at the country’s first national poll since independence.