By Spy Uganda
South Sudan President Salva Kirr on Friday evening appointed Dr Riek Machar as First Vice President, shortly after they had agreed on forming a unity government.
Machar’s appointment was announced in the new government changes which President Kirr announced after issuing a number of Presidential declarations.
In the first decree, Kiir relieved first vice president Taban Deng Gai and vice president James Wani Igga, replacing them with Machar.
He then reappointed Taban and Wani as vice presidents.
In other decrees Kiir removed all the 12 presidential advisors, namely:
1. Joseph Lagu (Senior Presidential Advisor)
2. Daniel Awet Akot (Presidential Advisor on Military Affairs)
3. John Gai Yoh (Presidential Advisor on Education)
4. Aggrey Sabuni Tisa (Presidential Advisor on Economic Affairs)
5. Lawrence Korbandy (Presidential Advisor on Legal Affairs)
6. Michael Mario Duor (Presidential Advisor on Reforms, Monitoring and Evaluation)
7. Clement Wani Konga (Presidential Advisor on Special Affairs)
8. Tor Deng Mawien (Presidential Advisor on Decentralization)
9. Barnaba Marial Benjamin (Presidential Advisor and Special Envoy)
10. Anne Itto (Presidential Advisor on Agriculture and Food Security)
11. Gabriel Yoal Dok (Presidential Advisor on Social Services Delivery)
12. Sheikh Juma Said Ali (Presidential Advisor on Islamic Affairs)
The president also sacked the entire cabinet of 30 ministers and 8 deputy ministers.
Nyandeng Garang, the widow of Dr. John Garang De Mabior was also appointed as the 4th vice president representing the former detainees.
The president was also expected to appoint one more vice president, a representative of the South Sudan Oppositions Alliance (SSOA) but the group couldn’t submit the name of their preferred candidate to the president for appointment.
SSOA, a group of 8 political parties are now embroiled in power struggles and couldn’t agree on one person to represent them in the Presidency.
Sources say SSOA has forwarded six names to the President to pick one as vice president.
In more Decrees, Kiir reappointed Tut Gatlauk as Presidential Advisor on National Security Affairs and Mayiik Ayii Deng as Presidency Affairs Minister. Their appointments were revealed earlier today and the two officials were sworn into office.
This makes Mayiik Ayii the only cabinet minister in office in the Republic of South Sudan.
President Kiir is expected to make more appointments tomorrow.
Meanwhile, we have learnt that Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and Sudanese Prime Minister are expected in Juba tomorrow to attend the swearing-in ceremony of the first vice president Riek Machar and vice presidents James Wani Igga, Taban Deng Gai and Rebecca Nyandeng.
