South Sudan president sacks Health minister

March 24, 2022 (JUBA) – South Sudan President Salva Kiir has sacked the country’s Health minister, Elizabeth Achuei Yol, replacing her with lawmaker Yolanda Awel Juach.

Kiir directive came in a decree read on the state-owned SSBC Wednesday.

The former minister was a nominee from the armed opposition movement (SPLM-IO) under the overall leadership of First Vice President Riek Machar.

As such, her replacement is expected to be from the same political party.

The minister’s appointment has drawn mixed reactions from the public, with many questioning circumstances under which she was appointed.

Some members of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement in Opposition (SPLM-IO) commented on the appointment of the new minister, citing heated debates in the leadership council before the decision was made.

The First Vice President, Machar, multiple sources told Sudan Tribune, was not in favour of the new Health minister, but the fact that the SPLM-IO council was looking for a female candidate from Warrap state, particularly from Twic County, meant the ministerial post was left to be filled by Juach.

(ST)