President Salva Kiir has dismissed the governor of Northern Bahr el Ghazal State, Simon Uber Mawut.
In a presidential decree announced on the state-run South Sudan Broadcasting Corporation (SSBC) on Thursday evening, Kiir named Charles Dut Akol as Uber’s replacement.
No reason was given for the move.
Uber had been appointed to the position in July 2024, succeeding Tong Aken Ngor.
During his tenure, Uber faced allegations from local civil society groups of arbitrary arrests, poor governance and a failure to tackle corruption.
Other critics also complained that security forces under the governor’s authority had detained critics, including civil servants and anti-corruption officials, without due process.
A section of politicians and some activists had publicly called for his removal, arguing his leadership had undermined hindered development in the state.
Charles Dut Akol, the new state governor, is a military figure, known especially for serving in senior army roles and at times involved in peace process or joint military committees.
President Kiir has frequently used his executive powers to hire and fire senior officials, often after only a short time in post.
Such reshuffles have regularly affected governors, national ministers and other holders of constitutional offices.
South Sudan has not held a national election since gaining independence in 2011, with repeated postponements. The country’s first post-independence elections are now scheduled for December 2026.