A New Chapter in South Sudan: Dr Benjamin Bol Mel’s Rise and the Future of SPLM
By PaanLuel Wël, Juba, South Sudan
Thursday, 22 May 2025 (PW) — a ceremony cloaked in liberation nostalgia and rhetorical appeals to unity, President Kiir on May 22 appointed Dr. Benjamin Bol Mel Kuol Akol as First Deputy Chairperson of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM), effectively anointing him as his political heir.
While the ceremony, held at the SPLM House, paid homage to the sacrifices of past revolutionaries, its subtext could not be clearer: The Crown Prince now second in command of the party is not just a close President Kiir ally, but a figure formally designated by the U.S. Treasury under the Global Magnitsky Act for misappropriating public resources and perpetuating a kleptocratic network through his conglomerate ABMC Thai-South Sudan and related firms.
Nonetheless, the appointment of Dr. Benjamin Bol Mel as the First Deputy Chairperson of the SPLM signals a generational shift and potentially sets the stage for a new chapter in the country’s leadership. Dr. Bol Mel’s ascent is not merely symbolic. In the hierarchy of the SPLM, the ruling party that has governed South Sudan since independence, being named First Deputy Chairperson is tantamount to becoming the president-in-waiting.
“Today,” President Kiir said, “we turn a new page in our journey.” Emphasizing unity, national identity, and the legacy of struggle, the President described the SPLM not as a personal or tribal project, but as “a movement of sacrifices, struggles and hopes… built in the bush in the hearts of freedom fighters and in the dreams of our people.”
President Kiir’s speech on 22 May 2025 at the swearing ceremony of VP Dr Benjamin Bol Mel as SPLM Deputy Chairperson – as transcribed by Philip Thon Aleu: “Fellow comrades today is a special day in the life of our party, the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement [SPLM]. Just last week, we celebrated the 42nd anniversary of the SPLA Day on the 16th of May. That day reminded us of where we came from; the journey we took through blood, sweat and fears to reach here. It reminded us of brave men and women who gave everything including their lives that South Sudan could be free. We remember them with honor. We remember them with love. And we will never forget them. My dear comrades, SPLM is not just a political party. It is a movement of sacrifices, struggles and hopes. It was built in the bush in the hearts of freedom fighters and in the dreams of our people. The SPLM does not belong to one tribe. It does not belong to one region. It doesn’t belong to individuals. It belongs to the people of South Sudan; of all them. Comrades, today, we turned a new page in our journey. As your president and chairman of the party, I am proud to officially welcome a new generation of leadership: the newly appointed first deputy, second deputy and third of the SPLM are all from a new generation. These leaders are stepping into roles once held by our founding comrades, the liberation leaders, who carried the vision of the SPLM through the darkest time. We thank our comrades; we honor their sacrifices and their contributions to this party and this country. They can never be replaced in the history of the SPLM. Fellow comrades, brothers and sisters, transitions can be difficult, change can bring divisions, but I asked you all: do not let this moment divide us. Let it unite us. SPLM must remain strong; must remain united, must remain focus. We are not in competition with each other. We are in service of our people. To our new deputies, I say this to them: your appointment is not a reward: it’s a responsibility. You have been chosen to serve; not to rule. SPLM is a ruling party and the people are looking to us for leadership; not in words but in actions. Not in promises but in results. We are facing economic challenges but we are not helpless. We a strong people. This year, I am calling on every citizen, every youth, every official, every community to embrace agriculture. Let this year be the year of agriculture. Let us grow our own food. Let us fight hunger with our own hands. Let us rise up together. To the youth, the future of this party and this country is in your hands. Rise to the occasion, learn from the past; respect those who came before you and be ready to carry the flag forward. Our country depends on you; stand all tall, be united and work for peace, for justice and for betterment of all our people. Let’s move forward, not as individuals, not as tribes, but as one nation under one flag with one future. May God bless the SPLM, may God bless South Sudan. May God bless our people. And thank you!”
Dr. Bol Mel’s appointment, alongside Mary Apai as Second Deputy Chairperson and Simon Kun Puoch as Third Deputy Chairperson, represents the elevation of a new generation of SPLM leadership. Kiir was explicit that this transition was not about rewarding loyalty, but about assuming responsibility. “Your appointment is not a reward: it’s a responsibility,” he told the new deputies. “You have been chosen to serve; not to rule.”
The elevation of Dr. Bol Mel is widely seen as politically significant. As First Deputy Chairperson, he becomes the highest-ranking party figure after President Kiir himself, an office traditionally viewed as a direct pathway to national leadership. The role places him in a powerful position to influence both party direction and the future political trajectory of South Sudan.
Dr. Bol Mel is a seasoned businessman and political figure whose background has made him both a subject of scrutiny and a symbol of resilience. He has long been a key ally of President Kiir and has played a substantial role in the country’s postwar reconstruction through infrastructure and oil ventures. His leadership comes at a time when South Sudan continues to face challenges of economic reform, public accountability, and institutional development.
While questions have been raised internationally about Dr. Bol Mel’s past business dealings, including U.S. sanctions related to allegations of corruption, his appointment within the SPLM is being interpreted by many in Juba as an internal assertion of political continuity and strategic stability. For supporters, his experience in managing complex financial operations and navigating political networks may be viewed as assets in guiding the SPLM through a critical period of state-building.
President Kiir acknowledged the stakes of this moment. “Transitions can be difficult, change can bring divisions,” he said, urging the party and the nation to resist fragmentation and stay focused on service and unity. “We are not in competition with each other. We are in service of our people.”
The President also addressed the broader youth population, calling on them to take responsibility for the country’s future. “The future of this party and this country is in your hands,” he declared. “Rise to the occasion, learn from the past; respect those who came before you and be ready to carry the flag forward.”
As South Sudan looks ahead to possible elections and continued implementation of the 2018 Revitalized Peace Agreement, the internal dynamics of the SPLM will have far-reaching implications. The party remains the central force in South Sudanese politics, and its internal appointments carry both symbolic weight and practical influence over national direction.
The naming of Dr. Bol Mel to this position, despite international criticism, is a reflection of domestic political calculations and long-standing alliances. Whether his leadership will help steer the SPLM toward reform, stability, and broader legitimacy remains to be seen. But in the words of President Kiir, “Let us move forward, not as individuals, not as tribes, but as one nation under one flag with one future.”
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