South Sudan Decree Reshapes Transitional Assembly
South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir Mayardit, who also leads the ruling SPLM, has revoked and appointed 11 members of the Transitional National Legislative Assembly through a republican decree. The changes affect seats allocated to the opposition SPLM-IO under the transitional power-sharing arrangement.
The presidential action was issued on Jan. 7, referencing Article 106A(2)(a) of the Transitional Constitution and Section 38(1) of the Interpretation of Laws and General Provisions Act of 2006, according to decrees seen by Radio Tamazuj.
Names Removed, and the Factional Context
The decrees list several lawmakers whose appointments were revoked, including Joseph Malwal Dong, Kuong Dak Wie, Sandra Bona Malwal, Wieu Kun Kuiyang, Stephen Bol Ley and Hassan Zaid Kinnga. Others removed include Zainab Khamis Lorumu, Gatkuoth Wat Joar, Pech Nyawele Bol, Zandia Julli Madit and Jambiel Maani Jambiel.
Radio Tamazuj reported that the dismissed MPs belong to the SPLM-IO faction loyal to detained First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar, who is facing treason charges in a special court in Juba. Joseph Malwal Dong is described as the SPLM-IO focal person in Juba and a member of the party’s political bureau.
New Appointments Linked to Interim SPLM-IO Leadership
In a separate decree, President Kiir appointed 11 new assembly members presented as representing the SPLM-IO interim leadership led by Peacebuilding Minister Stephen Par Kuol. Radio Tamazuj reported that this faction broke away from the SPLM-IO in April 2025 following the detention of Riek Machar.
The appointees named include Elizabeth Kanyang Andrew, Nuer Diang, Buom Tai Gatluak, Zechariah Ater Joseph and Santino Riak Maker, as well as Makuach Teny Youk and Charles Wiyual Yoh, among others, according to the decrees cited by Radio Tamazuj.
Government Position: Peace Deal Implementation and 2026 Elections
President Kiir’s camp recognizes the interim SPLM-IO faction as the legitimate representative of the party within government, according to Radio Tamazuj. The same reporting says the move is framed as necessary to advance implementation of the 2018 peace agreement.
The government’s argument, as cited by Radio Tamazuj, also links the reshuffle to preparations for elections scheduled for December 2026, positioning the institutional changes as part of the transitional roadmap.
Analysts Warn of Deepening Political Divisions
Some analysts told Radio Tamazuj that the assembly changes appear designed to reduce the influence of Machar loyalists in the legislative body. They said the decision could aggravate internal divisions between the camps associated with Kiir and Machar.
Civil society leader and political observer Edmund Yakani described the replacement of Machar-aligned MPs with figures linked to Stephen Par Kuol as a troubling trend in the electoral run-up, according to Radio Tamazuj.
Security Concerns Raised by Civil Society Voices
Yakani argued that the political split, combined with renewed military clashes in some areas between the SSPDF and the SPLA-IO, increases risk and instability. “Evidently, the absolute split among members of the SPLM/A-IO into loyalists of Dr. Riek Machar and Stephen Par Kuol… is dangerous,” he said (Radio Tamazuj).
Yakani also called for urgent intervention by the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and the African Union to support the 2018 peace agreement, warning that the situation could spiral without swift engagement, according to the same outlet.
SPLM-IO Bureau Disputes the Removals
In a statement dated Jan. 12, the SPLM-IO Political Bureau loyal to Machar in Juba said the unilateral removal of three cabinet ministers and 11 MPs violated the 2018 peace agreement, according to Radio Tamazuj. The group presented the changes as politically significant for the power-sharing arrangement.
The statement argued the removals were part of a broader effort to push the opposition SPLM-IO out of key structures. It was signed by Joseph Malwal Dong, identified as the SPLM-IO chairperson for foreign affairs and focal person for its political bureau (Radio Tamazuj).
2018 Peace Agreement Amendments and the Transition Timeline
Radio Tamazuj also reported that, last month, the presidency and cabinet approved amendments to key provisions of the 2018 peace agreement. The changes reportedly delink the December 2026 general elections from the permanent constitution-making process, a national census and other reforms.
The same reporting says the amendments included removing provisions that stated the 2018 peace agreement takes precedence over the constitution. The peace deal has faced repeated delays and election timelines have been postponed several times, with polls now scheduled for December 2026, despite objections cited from Machar loyalists (Radio Tamazuj).
A Transition Under Scrutiny Ahead of 2026 Polls
Taken together, the decrees, factional contestation within SPLM-IO, and debates over the amended transition benchmarks underscore how contested representation remains in South Sudan’s transitional institutions. The legislative reshuffle is therefore being read through both legal and political lenses.
With December 2026 elections now the key horizon cited by multiple actors, the durability of the 2018 peace agreement’s implementation mechanisms will likely remain central to public debate, regional diplomacy, and domestic political bargaining in the months ahead (Radio Tamazuj).