Kiir dissolves transitional government, forms caretaker team

President Salva Kiir has dissolved South Sudan’s transitional unity government and appointed a caretaker administration ahead of general elections scheduled for December 22.

The changes, announced in a presidential order read on state-owned South Sudan Broadcasting Corporation on Tuesday evening, removed the vice presidents, ministers and local administrators and dissolved the national and state legislative assemblies.

Kiir remains president during the electoral period until a newly elected president is sworn in, according to the order.

The caretaker administration includes 13 national ministries, 10 state governors and chief administrators for Abyei, Greater Pibor and Ruweng administrative areas.

Caretaker ministers

• Presidential Affairs — Africano Monde Gedima
• Cabinet Affairs — Martin Elia Lomuro
• Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation — Cecilia Adut Manyok
• Defence and Veterans Affairs — Ayor Akuoch Anok
• Interior — Rizik Zakariah Hassan
• Justice and Constitutional Affairs — Wek Mamer Kuol
• National Security — Obuto Mamur Mete
• Finance and Planning — Athian Diing Athian
• Trade and Industry — Labanya Margret
• Information and ICT — Ateny Wek Ateny
• East African Community Affairs — Michael Makuei Lueth
• Petroleum — Awou Daniel Chiang
• Peacebuilding — Stephen Par Kuol

Caretaker governors

• Central Equatoria — Agustino Wani Jadallah
• Eastern Equatoria — Louis Lobong Lojore
• Unity — Joseph Nguen Monytuil
• Western Bahr el Ghazal — Sherif Daniel Sherif
• Western Equatoria — Daniel Badagbu Rembasa
• Lakes — Riny Tueny Mabor Deng
• Warrap — Bol Wek Agoth
• Upper Nile — James Koang Chuol
• Northern Bahr el Ghazal — Charles Madut Akol
• Jonglei — Moses Majok Gatluak

Caretaker chief administrators

• Abyei Administrative Area — Justice Charles Abyei Jok
• Greater Pibor Administrative Area — Joseph Boboya Ngere
• Ruweng Administrative Area — Daniel Makuei Thiyier

The dissolution follows amendments to the National Elections Act signed into law by Kiir on Monday. The amendments removed previous legal requirements linking the elections to completion of a permanent constitution and a national population and housing census.

The National Elections Commission is preparing to begin voter registration ahead of the December 22 polls.

The caretaker arrangement replaces the power-sharing government established under the 2018 peace agreement as South Sudan moves into the final months before the scheduled elections.