JUBA, Feb. 26, 2026
Salva Kiir Mayardit has dismissed Vice President Josephine Joseph Lagu from her position as head of the Service Cluster and reappointed Hussein Abdelbagi Akol to the role, according to a presidential decree broadcast Thursday evening on state television.
The decree did not provide reasons for Lagu’s removal. Her dismissal comes just over a year after she was appointed on 10 February 2025 as part of a broader cabinet reshuffle within the Revitalised Transitional Government of National Unity (RTGoNU).
A Key Power-Sharing Post
Under the 2018 Revitalised Peace Agreement, the position of Vice President in charge of the Service Cluster is allocated to the South Sudan Opposition Alliance (SSOA), one of the signatory parties to the accord. The Service Cluster oversees critical ministries including Health, Education, Higher Education, Water Resources, and Humanitarian Affairs — portfolios central to public service delivery in a country still recovering from years of civil conflict.
Lagu, a veteran politician and chairperson of an SSOA faction, succeeded Abdelbagi in February 2025 after he was reassigned to the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security. During her tenure, she represented the SSOA within the presidency and chaired inter-ministerial meetings aimed at improving coordination in social services, though implementation of reforms remained hampered by budget constraints and persistent security challenges.
Abdelbagi’s Return
Abdelbagi previously served as Vice President for the Service Cluster from February 2020 until February 2025. A senior figure within the SSOA and leader of the South Sudan Patriotic Movement (SSPM), he played a notable role in the security arrangements component of the peace deal.
In 2025, he oversaw the handover of SSPM-affiliated forces for integration into the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF) under the command of President Kiir. The move was widely interpreted as a confidence-building measure aimed at advancing the unification of forces — a central but slow-moving pillar of the peace agreement.
Political observers say that Abdelbagi’s involvement in the integration process may have strengthened his standing within the presidency and contributed to his reinstatement.
Political Calculations Ahead of Elections
The reshuffle comes as South Sudan prepares for general elections scheduled for December 2026 — the first since independence in 2011. Analysts view the move as part of broader political maneuvering within the transitional government, where alliances among signatory parties remain fluid.
Some suggest President Kiir is seeking to consolidate his inner circle with figures perceived as cooperative and aligned with his leadership approach. Others point to regional dynamics within the executive branch. With changes in the composition of the vice-presidential team in recent years, questions of ethnic and regional representation continue to influence high-level appointments.
While the presidency has not commented further on the reasons behind Lagu’s dismissal, many political pundits have said the decision might have been influenced by Kiir’s desire for regional leadership balance but also the need to sorround himself with loyalists as South Sudan edges closer to a pivotal electoral milestone.
