Kiir Dismisses Key Machar Allies in Government

South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir has dismissed key allies of his longtime rival, First Vice President Riek Machar, from government positions, a move that raises fresh doubts about the viability of their power-sharing agreement under the 2018 peace deal. The deal, signed by Kiir, Machar, and other leaders, ended a brutal five-year civil war and established a unity government tasked with drafting a permanent constitution, unifying armed forces, and preparing for elections. In a late-night decree broadcast Wednesday on state-owned South Sudan Broadcasting Corporation, Kiir removed Deputy Minister of Finance and Planning Bech George Anyak, replacing him with Yien Chan Ruei. The order also targeted Machar loyalists in both houses of parliament—the Transitional National Legislative Assembly and the Council of States. The purge came just a day after the African Union Peace and Security Council reaffirmed its support for the 2018 agreement, urging progress toward elections and inclusive dialogue. Machar, leader of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement in Opposition (SPLM-IO), has been under house arrest since March 26, accused of involvement in violence in Nasir County—a charge his supporters dismiss as politically motivated. Radio Tamazuj