Juba: South Sudan's President Salva Kiir Mayardit has removed Vice President Benjamin Bol Mel from his position and stripped him of his leadership role within the ruling Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) party. This development was announced through presidential decrees aired on SSBC state television.

According to Anadolu Agency, Bol Mel's demotion extends to his military rank, as he has been downgraded from a general to a private within the National Security Service. The decrees also included significant changes among other key government positions. Paul Logale has been dismissed as SPLM Secretary General, with Akol Paul Kordit named as his replacement. Additionally, Addis Ababa Othow has been removed from his role as governor of the Bank of South Sudan, and Simon Akuei has been replaced by William Anyuon Kuol as commissioner general of the South Sudan Revenue Authority.

The political reshuffle follows a statement from Bol Mel's office dismissing rumors circulating on social media that he had been placed under house arrest and had his security detail removed. His office reiterated that "The Vice President continues to implement the H.E. President Salva Kiir Mayardit's vision for a prosperous and self-reliant South Sudan."

President Kiir has not yet named a successor for Bol Mel. It was in February that Kiir appointed Bol Mel to the vice presidency, succeeding Wani Igga and representing the SPLM. South Sudan's government structure is unique, with five vice presidents as part of the framework established under a 2018 peace agreement.