(JUBA) – South Sudan’s Council of Ministers has not held a single meeting since March 2025, raising serious concerns about the country’s ability to govern itself amid a deteriorating political situation. The continued detention of First Vice President Riek Machar, opposition leader and a key figure in the 2018 peace agreement, is widely seen as the reason behind the stalemate. Experts say this paralysis threatens not only national governance but also the fragile peace and the scheduled 2026 elections.
The Council of Ministers, the central decision making body chaired by President Salva Kiir Mayardit, last met over four months ago. Political analysts point to the detention of Machar and the replacement of his allies in government as the key reasons for the inactivity. Without a functioning cabinet, South Sudan is effectively operating without an executive branch, leaving the country with no mechanism to approve policies, manage national budgets or guide ministries.
Dr Abraham Kuol Nyuon, a political science lecturer at the University of Juba, said the arrest of Machar and sidelining of top SPLM-IO officials have caused fear and mistrust within the government. He warned that this climate of division has made the president reluctant to call meetings, concerned about open opposition from remaining officials.
Civil society activist Ter Manyang echoed these concerns, saying that the arrest of Machar, who chairs the governance cluster in the cabinet, is central to the crisis. He also noted that some of Machar’s key allies are currently out of the country, further weakening their presence in government.
The paralysis has left South Sudan without a functioning executive at a time when the judiciary remains underfunded and the parliament only recently resumed after a six month recess. Experts now fear that all three branches of government have become ineffective.
Dr Kuol described the situation as “an executive vacuum,” stating that governance has stalled entirely. Governance expert Dr Remember Miamingi said power is increasingly being centralised in the president’s office, undermining constitutional checks and balances. He warned that South Sudan is slipping into de facto autocratic rule.
Machar’s detention, which has lasted since early March 2025, has drawn widespread condemnation. According to SPLM-IO officials, security forces entered his compound in Juba in March, cleared out staff and placed the First Vice President under house arrest. Defence Minister Gen. Chol Thon Balok is said to have delivered the arrest order in person.
Reath Muoch Tang, the acting head of foreign affairs for the SPLM-IO, described the action as a breach of the 2018 peace agreement. SPLM-IO spokesperson and Water Minister Pal Mai Deng warned that this move risks undoing years of peace building efforts. He urged the international community to hold President Kiir accountable for upholding the peace accord and ensuring Machar’s safety.
So far, the government has not offered a public explanation for the detention. Presidential spokesperson Michael Makuei has not responded to requests for comment.
The international response was swift. The United States urged President Kiir to release Machar immediately and warned against further political escalation. The US Bureau of African Affairs wrote on X (formerly Twitter):
“We urge President Kiir to reverse this action and prevent further escalation of the situation.”
The UN has also warned that recent fighting and rising political tensions could ignite a return to large scale conflict.
These developments have dealt a heavy blow to the 2018 Revitalised Peace Agreement, which aimed to share power between Kiir’s SPLM and Machar’s SPLM-IO during a transitional period ahead of elections in December 2026. With Machar detained and his political base weakened, key reforms such as the constitutional process, transitional justice and security sector unification have stalled.
Recent clashes between SPLM-IO and SSPDF troops in Upper Nile and Central Equatoria have heightened fears that the political rift could spill into armed conflict. Fighting in Tonga, Nasir, and around Juba has involved troops that were supposed to form part of the unified national force, as stipulated in the peace deal.
In Nasir, the White Army militia, historically linked to Machar, seized a military base, killing a government general. While SPLM-IO officials deny any current ties to the group, government forces have responded by arresting several SPLM-IO members, including the petroleum minister and the army’s deputy chief.
The security breakdown is also having economic consequences. The 2025–2026 national budget remains unapproved, forcing government ministries and agencies to operate on emergency funds. Civil servants across the country report months of unpaid wages. The average public servant salary remains unpaid in many sectors, crippling basic services like healthcare and education.
Vaccination campaigns have halted, and several humanitarian programmes remain suspended, worsening the plight of vulnerable populations. Humanitarian agencies cite insecurity, government inertia, and a lack of direction from the executive as key obstacles.
Experts agree that a functioning Council of Ministers is essential. Under Article 109 of the Transitional Constitution, the council is the highest executive authority responsible for policy, budget approval, and law implementation. Without it, the country cannot meet its constitutional duties or international commitments.
Dr Miamingi outlined three immediate steps needed to address the crisis. First, the release of Dr Machar without conditions to allow the transitional government to resume operations. Second, the organisation of a high level mediation process led by regional actors such as IGAD or the African Union. Third, the resumption of cabinet meetings to restore governance and move forward with peace implementation.
If no action is taken, South Sudan risks undoing the gains of the past five years. Observers warn that a return to conflict could not only destabilise South Sudan but also affect the wider region, including Sudan and Ethiopia, both of which are already experiencing instability.
