Salva Kiir Dissolves Government to Force December Elections

President Salva Kiir dissolved South Sudan's transitional unity government, parliament, and state assemblies on September 22, appointing a caretaker administration to oversee the country's first-ever national elections scheduled for December 22. The move follows Kiir's signing of amendments to the National Elections Act of 2012, which remove the requirements to complete a national census or establish a permanent constitution before voting can proceed.

These legal changes allow Kiir to remain in power while removing all vice-presidents and ministers appointed under a 2018 peace agreement. As part of the transition, Kiir dismissed National Elections Commission chairman Abednego Akok Kacuol, replacing him with Gabriel Bol Deng. The dissolution triggered a heavy military presence in Juba, where the Internal Security Bureau ordered forces to high alert, leading to the closure of government ministries and prompting UN agencies to advise remote work.

Opposition forces, including the South Sudan Opposition Alliance, rejected the amendments, citing a lack of consultation. The Sudan People's Liberation Movement-in-Opposition (SPLM-IO) warned that anyone attempting to register voters or campaign in its territories would be treated as prisoners of war. This tension persists while main opposition leader Riek Machar remains under house arrest on charges of treason and murder. The Reconstituted Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission described the current period as a critical phase, noting that key negotiations from the 2018 peace agreement remain unresolved.