South Sudan Faces Deepening Turmoil with Arrests of Former Officials
A former finance minister of South Sudan has become the latest ex-government official detained in a sweeping wave of arrests that analysts warn exposes significant cracks within the administration of President Salva Kiir. This political instability unfolds as Kiir also confronts a mounting armed rebellion, compounding the nation's severe economic and security challenges.
Latest Detention and Broader Crackdown
The arrest occurred on Friday when Bak Barnaba Chol, a former finance minister, was taken into custody while attempting to cross the border into Uganda. This follows the earlier detention of Marial Dongrin Ater, another former minister of finance and planning who was dismissed from his position in August. Over the past week, the crackdown has extended to include a former central bank governor, a former undersecretary for the ministry of petroleum, and a general from the domestic intelligence agency previously assigned to the same ministry.
Government spokesman Ateny Wek Ateny addressed the arrests via local media outlet Eye Radio, asserting that they were "not political" but rather a "direct response to irregularities identified within the monetary system." He emphasized that a committee is actively investigating allegations of "financial malpractices," though the precise reasons behind the detentions remain ambiguous and unverified.
Political Tensions and Economic Collapse
Edmund Yakani, a prominent civic leader, reported on Saturday that the atmosphere in the capital, Juba, is increasingly tense among politicians who fear further detentions. "So far, these arrests have mostly targeted financial institutions, but if the arrests carry into the security sectors it will be very dangerous," Yakani cautioned, highlighting the potential for escalated conflict.
Daniel Akech of the International Crisis Group provided analysis, noting that the arrests signify a narrowing of President Kiir's "big tent" coalition, a strategy he has long relied upon to maintain control over South Sudan's fractured political landscape. This political maneuvering occurs against a backdrop of severe economic distress. The ongoing war in Sudan has severely impacted South Sudan's economy, which is overwhelmingly dependent on oil exports, as all of its oil flows through pipelines in Sudan.
Since the South Sudan war began in 2023, pipeline ruptures have periodically halted more than 60% of oil production. The World Bank estimates that South Sudan's economy contracted by a staggering 24% in 2025. In 2024, the International Crisis Group warned that disruptions to oil production could trigger broader political violence as Kiir exhausts petrodollars needed "to keep South Sudan's rivalrous generals and warlords on his side."
Armed Rebellion and Peace Agreement Erosion
The regime is already grappling with an armed rebellion. Opposition leader Riek Machar is currently under house arrest and facing trial for alleged subversion, charges he vehemently denies. Many of his allies have been arrested or purged from government positions. Kiir suspended Machar as his deputy in September following the criminal charges, an action that coincided with a sharp increase in violence.
The United Nations estimates that thousands were killed in 2025, with 280,000 people displaced since December. A U.N. inquiry has concluded that South Sudan's leaders are "systematically dismantling" the 2018 peace agreement, which was signed to end a civil war and reintegrate Machar into a unity government with Kiir. In response, Washington is urging a renewal of peace talks to address the escalating crisis.
The situation remains fluid, with the arrests highlighting not only financial scrutiny but also profound political fractures that threaten to destabilize the nation further. As tensions mount, the international community watches closely, advocating for dialogue and stability in a region plagued by conflict and economic hardship.
