South Sudanese President Salva Kiir has appointed Chol Ajongo, the country’s ambassador to Kenya, as the new Minister of Presidential Affairs, just hours after dismissing his predecessor, Bangasi Joseph Bakosoro, who had served less than a year in the role.

The dismissal of Bakosoro, a close ally of Kiir and a member of the ruling Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM), was announced through a late-night decree on state television on Monday.

No reasons were provided for his removal.

Bakosoro, a prominent figure from Western Equatoria State, previously held the position of Minister of Public Service in the transitional government.

He rejoined the SPLM in July 2021 after stepping down from his South Sudan Movement for Change (SSMC) Party, which was part of the transitional government of national unity.

Ajongo, a seasoned lawyer and career diplomat who has been South Sudan’s ambassador to Kenya since 2016, will now step into the role of Minister of Presidential Affairs.

It is not unusual for President Kiir to make such abrupt and high-profile changes without explanation, often issuing these decisions late at night.