- South Sudan’s former vice president of the Economic Community, Benjamin Bol Mel, was placed under house arrest in Juba on November 12, hours after he was sacked by President Salva Kiir.
- Security forces reportedly raided his residence, blocked entrances, seized personal belongings, and replaced his guards with new guards.
- Bol was also stripped of his SPLM party position and military rank, amid US sanctions and rumors of corruption allegations
South Sudan’s ousted vice president Benjamin Bol Mel is reportedly under house arrest in Juba.
Source: Facebook
This happened a few hours after President Salva Kiir sacked him from his post as Vice President.
Was Benjamin Bol placed under house arrest?
Juba-based Radio Tamazuj reported that security officers surrounded Bol’s residence in the Jebel area on Wednesday evening, November 12, while his family and staff were barred from entering the house until Thursday morning.
An aide reported that military and military intelligence officers blocked roads leading to the home and ordered relatives to stay away.
Another associate claimed that security officers entered the residence and seized documents, a laptop, and an undisclosed amount of money.
The ousted Vice President’s personal security team was reportedly removed and replaced by new bodyguards who imposed house arrest.
Why was Benjamin Bol fired?
Sources close to him denied reports that several senior officials linked to him, including former revenue chief Simon Akuei, had also been arrested.
Kiir’s televised order on Wednesday evening removed Bol from his government position and his position as the first deputy chairman of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM).
He was also stripped of his rank in the National Security Service, demoted from general to private.
The government did not immediately explain the reason for Bol’s dismissal. It followed hours of speculation after Bol Mel’s security was lifted earlier in the day.
Bol had previously been sanctioned since 2017 by the United States for alleged involvement in unnecessary corruption.
Until his ouster, Bol, who was among Kiir’s vice presidents, served as vice president of the Economic Group, overseeing the country’s economic affairs.
His troubles came months after South Sudan’s first vice president was arrested earlier that year.
Riek Machar, who transitioned from leading the government to leading the opposition as leader of the SPLM-In Opposition, was arrested on March 26, along with his wife, Angelina Teny.
The two were placed under house arrest following allegations of undermining peace efforts and the upcoming national elections.
Security forces reportedly raided their homes in Juba, detaining them under unclear circumstances.
How William Ruto intervened to prevent the crisis in South Sudan
The arrest raised concerns among international observers, who feared that the weak progress made under the 2018 Revival Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS) could expose, and possibly revive, the conflict after the arrest of the leader.
Source: UGC
In his position as chairman of the East African Community (EAC), the President of Kenya William Ruto intervened to help prevent a potential crisis after the arrest of the SPLM-IO leader.
Ruto gave a job to the late former prime minister Raila Odingato be a special envoy to Nairobi to cooperate with the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) in mediating peace between the conflicting parties.
Kenya’s Secretary General of Foreign Affairs, Korir Singo’oei, confirmed the job, saying that Raila will actively participate in efforts to reduce tensions in South Sudan after Machar’s arrest.
His mission included delivering Ruto’s message to Kiir and Machar, as well as engaging key stakeholders in Juba.
Taking up the role, Raila expressed confidence in the possibility of a peaceful solution and reiterated Kenya’s commitment to support South Sudan’s journey towards lasting stability.
He was expected to brief regional leaders on the progress of his diplomatic engagement with the emerging peace process.
South Sudan became an independent nation in 2011, but was soon engulfed in civil war by 2013.
Fighting continued until 2018, when international mediators facilitated the signing of the Revised Agreement for the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS).
In the early years of independence, Kiir and Machar shared leadership roles peacefully, but internal conflicts within the ruling SPLM led to the breakdown of their alliance.
Kiir accused Machar of plotting a coup, a claim Machar denied.
Despite efforts to find peace, and even the signing of a peace agreement in 2018, the relationship between the two leaders has remained difficult and politically unstable until today.
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