The opposition National Salvation Front (NAS) has linked the removal of former Cabinet Affairs Minister Dr. Martin Elia Lomuro to disagreements within President Salva Kiir’s inner circle over elections, the future of the legislature and the handling of the inter-party dialogue.
Kiir removed Lomuro on October 21, 2026, replacing him with Bol Wek Agoth in a presidential decree that gave no reason for the decision. The move prompted speculation among political observers.
Although Lomuro led his own political party, the South Sudan Democratic Forum (SSDF), he was a longtime ally of Kiir and remained closely aligned with the president’s faction of the ruling Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM). He had served in successive governments since 2005.
In a statement dated November 3, signed by NAS spokesperson Suba Samuel Manase and shared with Radio Tamazuj, the group said Lomuro’s removal followed disagreements between him and three senior SPLM figures: Secretary-General Akol Paul Kordit, Michael Makuei and Justice Minister Wek Mamer.
NAS said the removal was more than a routine ministerial reshuffle, describing it as a reflection of competing interests within the ruling party over the country’s political direction.
The group said the disagreements centred on the holding and designation of elections, the future of the legislature and the handling of the inter-party dialogue, in which Lomuro served as rapporteur.
Political analyst Boboya James told Radio Tamazuj last month that Lomuro’s removal may have been linked to an order he issued on October 20 assigning acting ministers to oversee ministries without substantive caretaker ministers. Boboya suggested the directive may have contributed to tensions within the caretaker administration led by Kiir.
Repeated attempts to reach Lomuro for comment were unsuccessful.
NAS also cited recent SPLM primary elections as evidence of internal divisions, saying the contests had exposed disagreements over leadership and influence within the ruling party.
In Upper Nile State, NAS described the results as a setback for prominent SPLM members, including Rebecca Joshua Okwachi, who lost their contests to candidates it identified as Agwelek supporters.
In Jonglei State, the group said most contested positions had been won by members who had recently returned from the SPLM-IO, with General James Hot Mai the notable exception.
In Unity State, NAS said a reported directive by caretaker Governor Joseph Nguen Monytuil requiring county commissioners to contest the primaries had fuelled internal tensions. Some party members, it said, viewed the move as an attempt to establish a separate political base.
The opposition group warned that the disputes could fuel wider instability, including clashes among communities.
NAS also questioned whether South Sudan could hold the planned December 2026 elections, saying the conditions for credible polls had not been met and could not be established within the remaining timeframe.
It argued that the dissolution of the legislature had created an additional challenge for the transitional administration in securing a fresh legal mandate.
The group described the caretaker administration established on September 22, 2026, as unconstitutional and called on Kiir to relinquish power, characterising its formation as a constitutional coup.
NAS urged the United Nations and African Union to review the recognition and privileges extended to the administration, including diplomatic immunities and travel arrangements for Kiir and its members.
It also called on foreign governments, financial institutions, companies and international organisations to suspend dealings with the administration.
On oil revenues, NAS called for South Sudan’s share of oil proceeds to be safeguarded, alleging that the funds were not being adequately used for national development and public services. It proposed channelling the revenues through credible organisations or placing them in escrow until a legitimate government is established.
NAS reiterated its call for an inclusive national dialogue involving political parties, civil society organisations, religious leaders and other stakeholders to address the root causes of the conflict.
The group is led by General Thomas Cirillo, who declined to sign the 2018 revitalised peace agreement. Subsequent talks between NAS and the government in Rome, facilitated by the Community of Sant’Egidio, collapsed without an agreement.
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