Africa-Press – South-Sudan. Vice President Rebecca Nyandeng de Mabior has been named acting head of the Governance Cluster, assuming the role in the absence of the suspended First Vice President Dr Riek Machar.
The decision was reached during an extraordinary Council of Ministers session chaired by President Salva Kiir on Tuesday, December 23, 2025.
Vice President Nyandeng will retain her substantive position as Chairperson of the Gender and Youth Cluster while assuming the additional role in the Governance Cluster.
The cabinet resolved that the Vice President for the Gender and Youth Cluster should chair the Governance Cluster, with technical support from the Minister of Cabinet Affairs.
Rebecca Nyandeng represents the Former Detainees group under the 2018 peace agreement, while Dr. Machar leads the main opposition party, the SPLM-IO.
It remains unclear why the cabinet has acted now to fill the leadership gap left since March, especially as Dr. Machar’s trial is expected to continue for some time.
Speaking to the state broadcaster SSBC, the Minister of Cabinet Affairs, Dr. Martin Eli Lomoro, confirmed the decision.
“With regard to the Governance Cluster, and in the absence of the First Vice President, the Council resolved that the Vice President for the Gender and Youth Cluster should chair the Governance Cluster, with support from the Minister of Cabinet Affairs. So, that was resolved this afternoon.”
Dr. Lomoro added that the Council also deliberated on several memoranda presented by various ministerial clusters on critical national issues.
The cabinet further passed key resolutions related to the implementation of the peace agreement, the healthcare sector, and the payment of salary arrears.
Dr. Riek Machar, who is the main signatory to the 2018 Revitalized Peace Agreement, was placed under house arrest in March 2025 following rising political tensions after the Nasir incident.
He is currently facing charges including treason and murder in a special court in Juba. Proceedings began in September, with the court having so far heard testimony from five of the sixteen witnesses listed by the prosecution.
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