South Sudan President Salva Kiir has fired foreign minister who is a member of the SPLM Former Detainees group on Tuesday night.
Foreign Minister Deng Alor Kuol was sacked in a decree read out on state media. No reasons were given for firing him.
However, his firing comes after he stayed out of the country for nearly five months in protest against the slow implementation of the peace deal.
Alor had been nominated by the SPLM Former Detainees group, one of the non-armed signatories to the August 2015 peace agreement that is being revitalized. They were given two ministerial portfolios under the terms of the deal, including the foreign ministry.
The politician’s removal could open up a rift again between the SPLM Former Detainees and SPLM group led by President Salva Kiir.
Foreign Minister Deng Alor and Transport Minister John Luk were the only two SPLM Former Detainees top officials who remained serving in the unity government.
In July 2016, Kiir fired deputy foreign minister Cirino Hiteng who is a top official belonging to the SPLM Former Detainees.
In another decree, President Kiir replaced Deng Alor with Nhial Deng Nhial, who is a member of his SPLM faction.