Kiir fires General Garang Mabil after speech at Gen. Bior Ajang’s funeral

JUBA — South Sudan President Salva Kiir issued a presidential decree replacing General Garang Mabil Deng as the gubernatorial advisor for peace and security of Warrap state, months after Mabil refused the appointment. The move follows a speech Mabil gave at the funeral of the late Gen. Bior Ajang.
Mabil was appointed to the position in February when Kiir reconstituted the transitional government of Warrap state. However, the general declined the role, calling it a “disappointing appointment” and expressing frustration that he had not been consulted beforehand.
Mabil’s dismissal comes shortly after the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) expressed concern over rising extrajudicial killings by state authorities in Lakes and Warrap states.
The decree, announced on South Sudan Broadcasting Corporation (SSBC), did not specify the reason for Mabil’s removal, but it is widely believed to be related to his refusal to accept the role.
Kiir appointed Francis Abur as the new gubernatorial advisor for peace and security in Warrap state. In a separate decree, Kiir also dismissed Warrap State Minister of Cabinet Affairs Akech Tong Aleu, naming Santino Ding Wek as his successor.