WAU, South Sudan — Heavy gunfire erupted in Wau, the capital of Western Bahr el Ghazal state, Sunday night as residents protested President Salva Kiir’s decision to replace the country’s only female governor, Sarah Cleto Hassan Rial. The incident, which lasted from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m., heightened fears of renewed conflict, according to local sources, Nov. 24.
Jackson, a resident of Wau, described the situation as “terrible,” linking the unrest to tensions following Friday’s violence in Juba. “This could be a return to full-blown conflict,” he said.
The unrest saw involvement from soldiers of both the Sudan People’s Liberation Army in Opposition (SPLA-IO) and the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF). SPLA-IO commander Gabriel Bol Wek confirmed that gunfire broke out as some residents demanded the reinstatement of Cleto, while others opposed her successor, Emmanuel Primo Okello.
“This was not SPLA-IO alone. SSPDF soldiers were also involved, and it is their right to have a say in who governs them,” Bol said.
The tensions followed Kiir’s decision two weeks ago to dismiss Cleto, an SPLM-IO appointee, replacing her with Okello, SPLM-IO chairperson of the standing committee at the national secretariat. The decision reportedly came at the request of First Vice President Riek Machar, leader of SPLM-IO.
Despite the replacement being formally requested by Machar, Bol instructed SPLA-IO forces in Jur River County to block Okello from entering the region. The order intensified local dissatisfaction and raised concerns about unity within the SPLM-IO and the government’s ability to maintain stability in the region.
No injuries were reported during the incident, but the unrest underscores the fragility of South Sudan’s peace process and the risks of political divisions escalating into violence.
