Description: South Sudan’s President, Salva Kiir, has reshuffled his military cabinet firing the current military chief, Daur Aturjong, replacing him with his predecessor, Paul Nang Majok, who had also been fired previously by Kiir. The reshuffle in the military cabinet arrives in a period of heightened tensions and speculations regarding a renewed civil war conflict in the country. First Vice – President Riek Machar is currently on trial for treason while the armed wing of his party, SPLMO – IO (Sudan’s People Liberation Movement in Opposition), the White Army militia continues to engage the country’s military. The reshuffle was suspected as a move for Kiir to consolidate and centralize power as well as an appeasing move for the numerous factions in his government.
Impact: The political and security crisis in South Sudan originates from a power struggle within the ranks of the ruling elite and the oppositional forces. The cabinet reshuffle illustrates that Kiir would continue to centralize political power around his presidency and most probably enforce a handpicked successor from his own camp. The opposition forces, both politically and militarily are waging a low – scale armed conflict within the country and are having difficulties mobilizing a larger force to oppose Kiir’s military and political dominion over South Sudan’s government. Instability would persist in the country with Machar’s trial, while the speculations of renewed civil war conflict are currently descending.