President Kiir Fires Mighty Tutkew Gatluak – The End of a Political Era!
By PaanLuel Wël
By now, if you’re in Juba and your TV still works, you’ve probably heard the latest news from SSBC: President Kiir has once again reshuffled his government deck. This time, however, the cards he’s tossing aside aren’t just any cards—they’re the kings of spades in South Sudan’s high-stakes political game.
The biggest casualty? Hon. Tutkew Gatluak Manime, the once-mighty Presidential Advisor on National Security Affairs, has been stripped of his title. Tutkew was the quintessential power broker in President Kiir administration—like a DJ controlling the playlist at a party, deciding who danced and who didn’t. Now, he’s been replaced by Gen. Thoi Chany Reat (VP Taban Deng’s political protege), and let’s just say the DJ booth is empty, and the music has stopped for the “Khartoumers.”
For years, Tutkew and his crew were accused of hijacking President Kiir’s government. The narrative preached by the SPLM/SPLA orphans was that Tutkew, backed by his buddies in Khartoum, was running the show, leaving true SPLM liberators to wander the political wilderness like Israelites searching for manna. Well, Tutkew’s firing is manna for those sidelined SPLM veterans, and the liberators are back in the room.
But wait—there’s a plot twist. Tut isn’t heading to the unemployment line. Nope, President Kiir has reassigned him as Presidential Envoy to the Middle East. Let’s unpack this: on paper, it sounds prestigious. But let’s be honest—this could just as easily be the political equivalent of being sent to the corner to “think about what you’ve done.” Will Tutkew be brokering peace or just shopping for the best shawarma in Dubai? Only time will tell.
And let’s not forget the broader drama. Just a few moons ago, Gen. Akol Koor, another titan of the South Sudan’s high-stakes political game, was also unceremoniously booted from his influential post as Director of National Security and Intelligence. The timing is no coincidence. Tutkew and Akol Khor were seen as the dynamic duo of political survival, but it seems the political winds of Juba have shifted, and loyalty to Khartoum (in the case of Tutkew) no longer pays off.
President Kiir didn’t stop there. Gatwech Peter Kulang, the Chairperson of the Relief and Rehabilitation Commission, also got the axe, replaced by Stephen Kueth. And just to keep the reshuffle exciting, the National Transition Commission (NTC) Board and Nilepet’s Board of Directors were dissolved and reconstituted. This was essentially Kiir saying, “Everyone out; let’s start over.”
The new NTC Board looks like a “who’s who” of SPLM’s original power players. Kuol Manyang Juuk, a man who knows liberation like the back of his hand, is now chairing the board. It’s almost as if President Kiir woke up and thought, “Time to call the old gang back together.” Whether this is nostalgia or strategy remains unclear, but the SPLM loyalists are back, and they’re not here to play – right?
So what does this mean for South Sudan? First, it’s the official end of the “Khartoumers,” those accused of puppeteering the government while SPLM veterans fumed on the sidelines. Second, it’s a signal that President Kiir is trying to reclaim his SPLM roots—or at least look like he’s doing so. Third, Nilepet’s reshuffle suggests oil will remain the government’s favorite cash cow, albeit with some new faces milking it.
As for Tut Gatluak, his new role as Presidential Envoy to the Middle East feels like a political “time-out.” Will he use it to plot a comeback or enjoy some hummus and falafel? Either way, his once-unchecked influence in Juba is no more.
In the end, South Sudan’s politics remain the greatest show on earth – yes, it is. Power shifts, alliances crumble, and new players emerge—but one thing’s for sure: when the president starts reshuffling, nobody is safe. Kiirdit gives, and Kiirdit takes, or so goes the consolation song in Juba.
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