Headline: Kiir Dismisses Key Rival’s Wife from Cabinet, Raising Fears for South Sudan’s Fragile Peace
Juba, South Sudan – President Salva Kiir has dismissed Interior Minister Angelina Teny, a senior member of the opposition and the wife of detained rival Riek Machar, in a move that has sent shockwaves through the country’s already strained unity government.
No official reason was given for Teny’s removal. She has been replaced by Aleu Ayieny Aleu, a former interior minister and a loyalist to President Kiir. The Interior Ministry portfolio is a critical security position, and its transfer from the opposition to the president’s camp represents a significant shift in the power-sharing arrangement.
The dismissal was immediately condemned by Machar’s Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-in-Opposition (SPLM-IO). The party stated that the unilateral action directly undermines the Revitalized Peace Agreement of 2018, which ended a devastating civil war and established the coalition government. The agreement stipulates that key ministries be shared between Kiir’s and Machar’s factions.
The political crisis unfolds amid heightened military tensions. Machar himself remains in detention, facing treason charges related to a recent surge of violence. Fighting has intensified in several regions, including parts of Jonglei and Upper Nile states, displacing thousands and raising fears of a broader conflict.
International and regional observers have issued stark warnings. They argue that the removal of a principal opposition figure from a core security institution risks unraveling the peace deal entirely. The agreement’s key provisions, including the unification of armed forces and the preparation for long-overdue national elections, remain largely unimplemented.
The latest developments cast a deep shadow over South Sudan’s fragile stability. With trust between the main signatories eroding and violence escalating on the ground, the path to lasting peace appears more precarious than ever.
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