South Sudan’s ambassador to Kenya Monica Achol Abel sacked four months into her job
Her firing is likely to raise eyebrows in diplomatic cycles given that President Ruto has been mediating in the conflict in the neighbouring country
South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir has sacked the country’s ambassador to Kenya Monica Achol Abel as tensions between him and his First Vice President Riek Machar deteriorate.
Achol, who presented her credentials to President William Ruto barely four months ago, was fired through a decree announced on state-owned South Sudan Broadcasting Corporation (SSBC) on Wednesday night.
There were no specific reasons provided for her dismissal though it came at a time when the peacekeeping and petroleum ministers and several senior military officials were either detained or put under house arrest in a flareup of the intense fighting in recent weeks in the strategic northern town of Nasir between national forces and the White Army militia, a loosely-organised group mostly comprising armed Nuer, Machar’s ethnic group.
“Pursuant to the provisions of Section 37(f) and 25(i) of the Diplomatic and Consular Service Act 2011, read together with Section 38(i) of the Interpretation of Laws and General Provisions Act 2006, I, Salva Kiir Mayardit, President of the Republic of South Sudan, do hereby terminate the service of Ambassador Monica Achol Abel as a diplomat in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation,” the decree stated.
While has a tendency of reshuffling government officials, often within months of their appointments, Achol’s sacking is likely to raise eyebrows in diplomatic cycles given that President Ruto and Kenya generally, have been mediators in the conflict between Kiir and Machar including securing the 2013 peace deal that brought the latter into government.
While the two have avoided direct confrontation, there have been factional wars between the military and local militias that have threatened the fragile agreement.
On Wednesday, the military also surrounded Machar’s residence but he was able to leave for work.
