Kiir dissolves South Sudan government ahead of first election
Salva Kiir has dissolved South Sudan's transitional government and appointed an interim administration ahead of the country's first-ever elections on 22 December.
South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir dissolved the transitional unity government on Tuesday 22 September 2026 and appointed an interim administration, clearing the way for the country’s first-ever national elections on 22 December.
The presidential decree, broadcast on national television on Tuesday evening, relieved all vice-presidents, ministers and local administrators of their duties and dissolved the National Legislative Assembly and the Council of States. The organised forces and the judiciary remain fully operational, and Kiir stays in office “during the election period until the next elected president assumes office”, the decree said.
The move came a day after Kiir signed amendments to the National Elections Act, passed by parliament on Monday, separating the elections from the drafting of a permanent constitution and a national census.
South Sudan gained independence in 2011 and quickly descended into a five-year civil war that killed about 400,000 people, according to the United Nations. The 2018 peace deal that ended the war created the power-sharing government Kiir has now dissolved; elections first expected in 2022 have been postponed twice. No voters have been registered and rival armies have not been unified.
Amnesty International called the decree a “decisive step” towards a “historic election”, while urging the authorities to ensure an enabling environment for people to vote. Kiir’s longtime rival Riek Machar remains under house arrest since March 2025, on trial on charges including treason and murder, which he denies.
Sources
- Al Jazeera — South Sudan dissolves government ahead of first-ever national elections: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/9/23/south-sudan-dissolves-government-ahead-of-first-ever-national-elections?traffic_source=rss
- Le Temps — In South Sudan, President Salva Kiir dissolves government ahead of historic elections: https://www.letemps.ch/en/world/in-south-sudan-president-salva-kiir-dissolves-government-ahead-of-historic-elections
- SABC News — Kiir dissolves government, clears hurdles to delayed election: https://www.sabcnews.com/sabcnews/kiir-dissolves-government-clears-hurdles-to-delayed-election/
More on this topic: all World stories