South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir Mayardit has revoked the appointment of former powerful and long-serving spy chief Gen. Akol Koor Kuc as governor of Warrap State. He became head of the National Security Services (NSS) after independence in 2011.
The former Director General of the National Security Service’s (NSS) Internal Security Bureau arrived at Juba International Airport this afternoon aboard a FlyDubai airplane from Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
Gen. Akol Koor Kuc who was dismissed by President Salva Kir last Wednesday was however not ecstatic about the large crowd that had gathered on the tarmac to receive him and dispassionately pushed through the people who were chanting SPLM Oyee and entered his sleek white Toyota Land Cruiser which immediately sped off.
Despite his abrupt dismissal last week while on a private mission abroad, he was appointed governor of Warrap State, Kiir’s home state which has been plagued by cattle rustling, cyclic revenge, and intra and inter-communal violence.
However, in an unexpected presidential decree Wednesday night, Kiir revoked Gen. Akol Koor Kuc’s appointment as governor of Warrap state and replaced him with Lt. Gen. Francis Marial Abur.
Lt. Gen. Francis held several government positions, including becoming assistant Inspector General of Police for operations.
No reason was given in the presidential decree that announced the revocation of Gen. Akol’s appointment as state governor, which was read out on national TV – but there has been sensitive speculation regarding power struggles within the security sector, particularly amid rumours of a potential coup involving him and other senior military officers.
Several social media users expressed surprise at the revocation of the former spy chief’s appointment as state governor, with some believing that the governorship position was initially offered to lure Gen. Akol to Juba.
“The governorship position given to Gen. Akol was not genuine, the intention was just to lure him to Juba,” one of the citizens said.
Under Gen Kuc’s leadership, the National Security Service has been fiercely criticized by citizens and human rights groups.
The agency is known for cracking down on opposition voices – including journalists and civil society activists, with waves of arbitrary arrests and other alleged abusive practices.