S. Sudanese president sacks top police officers

May 7, 2015 (JUBA) – The South Sudanese president, Salva Kiir on Wednesday issued an executive order sacking two senior police officers amid reports of political infighting and internal conflict within the command structure allegedly on regional and tribal grounds.

The duo, the state-owned SSTV reported, are Lt. Gen. Abel Makoi, director of prisons and correctional services and Lt. Gen. Aru Manchot, the commissioner general for fire brigade.

The decree did not, however, explain why the two long-serving officers were sacked and no immediate replacements were made by the South Sudanese leader.

Both officers are members of the Dinka ethnic tribe, but hail from different states of the South Sudan. For instance, while Makoi hails from Lakes state in the Greater Bahr el Ghazal region, Manchot is from Jonglei state in the Greater Upper Nile province.

It is not clear what caused the dismissal of the two long-serving officers, seen as ardent supporters of president Kiir’s ruling Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) party.

(ST)