JUBA: South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir has named former Information Minister Barnaba Marial Benjamin as the new foreign minister of the African oil producer, the first appointment in a new cabinet after firing the previous line-up.
On Tuesday, Kiir sacked his entire cabinet, Vice President Riek Machar and put under investigation his top Sudan negotiator, Pagan Amum, amid a power struggle in the African nation.
Benjamin, a close ally of Kiir and veteran of the ruling Sudan People’s Liberation Movement, said he had learned about his appointment from watching state television. He said he did not know when the rest of the cabinet would be appointed. Benjamin is known as South Sudan’s face to the world as he was previously the government’s spokesman.
Kiir is facing dissent from inside his party, the general public and Western donors for failing to deliver on a “peace” development dividend in the war-torn country which seceded from Sudan in 2011.
REUTERS
