Presidential Decrees Reshape Western Equatoria
An evening decree read on national television swiftly removed Western Equatoria’s deputy governor, Daniel Badagbu Rimbasa, after barely ten months in office. President Salva Kiir appointed opposition figure Justin Joseph Marona, signaling a recalibration of power inside the unity administration (SSBC broadcast).
Badagbu is a senior member of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement, the party that shares power with the SPLM-IO under the 2018 accord. Observers said the dismissal reduces SPLM-IO influence in a strategic border state vital for agricultural recovery and cross-border trade.
Ambassadors Recalled Amid Foreign Policy Reset
Kiir’s pen also reached beyond Juba, terminating the postings of ambassadors John Andruga Duku, Mayen Dut Wol, Riek Puok Riek and Joshua Franco Paul. The decree cited the Diplomatic and Consular Act but offered no public explanation, leaving diplomats scrambling for clarity.
One senior foreign-affairs official, speaking anonymously, described the move as a ‘standard rotation that aligns external representation with current domestic priorities’. Andruga, once posted to Beijing, is regarded as close to the ruling SPLM, suggesting loyalty alone does not guarantee tenure.
Impact on Fragile SPLM-IO Balance
First Vice President Riek Machar, detained since March, has watched a string of allies lose posts. His movement now splits between a Juba-based faction led by Peacebuilding Minister Stephen Par Kuol and a camp loyal to acting chairman Oyet Nathaniel.
SPLM-IO spokesperson Lam Paul Gabriel called the reshuffle ‘a calculated attempt to suffocate the agreement’. Government ministers countered that merit, not politics, guided the selections. ‘Stability demands competence,’ Information Minister Michael Makuei Lueth told reporters, downplaying any threat to partnership.
Peace Deal Timeline Under Fresh Scrutiny
The 2018 Revitalized Agreement outlined a path to a permanent constitution, unified forces and elections. Implementation deadlines have repeatedly slipped. Regional watchdog IGAD warned last month that further drift could erode donor confidence and heighten humanitarian risks across the flood-hit states.
Yet Juba officials insist the roadmap remains intact. ‘We are not derailing; we are accelerating,’ Vice-President Hussein Abdelbagi said at a press briefing, citing ongoing talks on security arrangements. Analysts caution that administrative reshuffles alone cannot replace the need for field-level integration.
With the dry season approaching, attention now turns to cantonment sites and voter registration logistics. Whether the latest dismissals streamline decision-making or deepens mistrust will become evident as the clock ticks toward the proposed 2024 national ballot.