South Sudan president ousts military chief, reinstates predecessor

In a sudden move, South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir has dismissed the current military chief after just three months in the role and reinstated his predecessor, Paul Nang Majok, who was removed in July.

The announcement was made via the state broadcaster, without any public explanation. The former chief, Dau Aturjong, has been reassigned as a technical adviser to the defense ministry.

This reshuffle is the latest in a pattern of frequent changes in the country’s military and government leadership. Analysts interpret President Kiir’s decision as a maneuver to maintain control over competing factions amid growing internal tensions and ongoing armed conflict.

Kiir, who has led South Sudan since its 2011 independence, is operating within a fragile transitional government after repeatedly delaying national elections. His longtime rival, First Vice President Riek Machar, is currently facing treason charges over alleged support for militia activity — a development that has stoked fears of renewed civil war.

Observers view the reinstatement of Majok as an attempt by Kiir to balance loyalties within the military and to reassure segments of the security establishment unsettled by Aturjong’s appointment. The precise motivations behind this sudden change, however, remain unclear.