South Sudan’s President dissolves government ahead of first national elections

South Sudan's President Salva Kiir has dissolved the transitional unity government and appointed a caretaker administration in preparation for the country's inaugural national elections. This executive decree marks the end of a power-sharing arrangement established under a 2018 peace agreement that had previously quelled years of civil conflict.

The order, read out by the state broadcaster, removed all vice-presidents, cabinet ministers, and local administrators, while dissolving the national legislature and state governments. Kiir will retain his position until a newly elected president assumes power. The judiciary and security institutions remain active, with caretaker ministers handling key portfolios.

The National Elections Act was amended to clear legislative hurdles, eliminating prerequisites that had previously linked the vote to a permanent constitution or population census. Kiir recently replaced the head of the national elections commission, who has been tasked with overseeing the December 22 polls. Security measures, including checkpoints and road closures, are in place in the capital, Juba, as Kiir's former first vice-president, Riek Machar, remains under house arrest and faces trial on charges of treason and murder.

International reactions to the dissolution are divided, with Amnesty International praising the step toward historic elections while stressing the need to protect civil liberties, and independent experts warning of the president's unchecked power. Critics argue the changes lack the democratic legitimacy promised by the 2018 pact, potentially paving the way for a dictatorship.