South Sudanese President Salva Kiir has dismissed the country’s finance minister just over three months after appointing him, marking the ninth change in the post since 2020.
The South Sudan Broadcasting Corporation reported late Monday that Dr. Bak Barnaba Chol had been replaced by Salvatore Garang Mabiordit. Salvatore previously served as finance minister from March 2018 to September 2020 and briefly from March to August 2023.
No reason was given for the latest reshuffle.
Kiir has previously removed key officials abruptly, often without explanation. In other presidential decrees, he also dismissed Monica Achol Abdel Aguek from her role as Presidential Envoy for Middle East Affairs, a position she held since November 2025.
The president also relieved William Anyuon Kuol, Commissioner General of the South Sudan Revenue Authority, and Moses Rou Ayii, Deputy Commissioner General of the authority. They were replaced by Ambassador Muon Deng Ajuet and Solomon Ariik Manyok, respectively.
Economic Concerns
Policy analyst Boboya James Edimond told Radio Tamazuj that the latest reshuffle underscores persistent weaknesses in the country’s economic management. “Replacing officials alone will not fix structural problems,” he said.
He noted that changes at the Finance Ministry and Revenue Authority appear driven by concerns over revenue mobilization and the government’s inability to meet obligations, including salaries.
“The government has no money right now,” Edimond said, adding that authorities are seeking leaders who can raise significant financial resources for government operations. He stressed that the crisis extends beyond individuals, pointing to corruption, weak accountability, and poor public financial management.
“These individuals that have been hired and fired have no capacity to change the situation… they are individuals, they are not institutions,” he said.
Edimond added that although substantial oil and non-oil revenues are generated, much of the money does not reach the national treasury to fund public services, limiting tangible benefits for citizens. He said lasting progress will require strengthening institutions and broader reforms rather than recycling officials.
Female leadership
In November, a civil society activist urged Kiir to appoint a woman as the next finance minister, saying male leaders have repeatedly failed to manage the country’s finances and address citizens’ economic hardships.
Angelina Adhel Malual, chairperson of the Civil Society Organization Network in Lakes State, told Radio Tamazuj that the Finance Ministry has been dominated by men since independence in 2011 and accused successive male ministers of corruption and lack of accountability. “This ministry has been corrupted by men. Let it be given to us women so we can also look into it,” she said.
Adhel cited months of salary arrears, a shortage of cash in banks, and the sharp depreciation of the South Sudanese pound, leaving families struggling to afford basic needs.