South Sudanese President Salva Kiir Mayardit on Monday evening dismissed Interior Minister Angelina Teny, wife of detained opposition leader Riek Machar, and appointed a close ally to the post.
Gen. Aleu Ayieny Aleu, who previously served as Interior Minister from 2013 to 2015, was named to lead the ministry. Aleu also served as governor of Warrap State from January 2021 to November 2022.
The Ministry of Interior had been under Teny’s leadership as part of the 2018 power-sharing deal, following a controversial portfolio swap in March 2023, when Kiir transferred her from defense to interior while taking the defense ministry for himself.
Teny, a senior member of Machar’s SPLM-IO party, has not been active in the interior ministry since March 2025, following the house arrest of Machar, the country’s suspended first vice president. Her duties had largely been handled by Deputy Minister Gen. Mangar Buong.
In June 2025, South Sudan’s National Security Service (NSS) reportedly confiscated a smartphone, laptop, and internet modem from Teny.
In the same round of decrees broadcast on state-owned South Sudan Broadcasting Corporation (SSBC), Kiir removed Lakes State Governor Gen. Rin Tueny Mabor and appointed Madhang Majok Meen as his replacement.
Gen. Rin, appointed in June 2021, had played a central role in controlling intercommunal violence in the state. Analysts say it is unclear why he was removed, but he is expected to take on a military or security role.
Other senior officials removed include Dak Duop Bichiok, Minister of Public Service and Human Resource Management; James Hoth Mai, Minister of Labour; Nadia Arop Dudi, Minister of Culture, Museums and National Heritage; Deng Joh Angok, Deputy Governor of Upper Nile State; and Gen. Thoi Chany Reat, director general of the General Intelligence Bureau of the NSS.
All of the sacked officials are members of Kiir’s SPLM Party.
Their replacements include Ezekiel Lol Gatkuoth as Minister of Public Service and Human Resources Development, Anthony Lino Makana as Minister of Labour, Sarah Nyanath Elijah Yong as Minister of Culture, Museums and National Heritage, Deng Akuei Kak as Deputy Governor of Upper Nile State, and Gen. Abraham Ket Bichiok as director of the NSS General Intelligence Bureau.
Sources said President Salva Kiir has removed his brother-in-law, Gen. Gregory Vasili, from his post as undersecretary in the Ministry of Defense and replaced him with Gen. Akec Tong Aleu, who previously served as director general of the Internal Security Bureau of the National Security Service (NSS).
South Sudanese policy analyst Boboya James Edimon criticized the reshuffle, calling it confusing and unlikely to address the country’s entrenched governance problems. He said the removal of key ministers risks undermining ongoing reforms, including programs supported by the World Bank.
Edimon also told Radio Tamazuj that many appointments appear driven by political and ethnic considerations rather than performance, particularly amid insecurity in Jonglei State, where the president is believed to be seeking allies to manage conflict.
“Recycling the same political figures while dismissing others could fuel tensions among communities and derail plans for a genuine national dialogue,” Edimon said.
He added that constant reshuffles weaken institutions, disrupt policy implementation, and contradict government commitments to statutory procedures.
Edimon stressed that citizens are more concerned with tangible outcomes, such as infrastructure development, payment of civil servants and soldiers, and investment in agriculture, than frequent changes in leadership. Without empowering officials to implement reforms, he said, the latest appointments may have little impact on the daily lives of South Sudanese.