President Salva Kiir Mayardit has named Wilson Awuol Gajang as the new deputy governor of Jonglei State, filling a vacancy that had persisted for almost ten months.

The position had been empty since March 2025, when the previous deputy governor, Atong Kuol, was elevated to the national post of Minister of Trade.

Jonglei State Information Minister Nyanmar Lony confirmed the appointment on Monday, calling it a much-needed and overdue step.

She emphasized that the move would bolster the state’s administrative structure and aid the governor in delivering services more effectively.

“The appointment of Hon. Wilson Awuol Gajang is timely and long overdue,” she said. “It will help reinforce the leadership of the state and ensure effective coordination and delivery of services to the people of Jonglei.”

Wilson Awuol Gajang is a parliamentarian affiliated with the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM), representing Pigi County.

The decision has drawn sharp criticism from the National Democratic Movement (NDM), part of the South Sudan Opposition Alliance (SSOA) and led by Dr. Lam Akol Ajawin.

The party argues that the deputy governorship in Jonglei was allocated to SSOA under the power-sharing framework of the 2018 Revitalised Peace Agreement.

In an official statement, the NDM labeled the appointment a “material breach” of the peace deal, expressing worry about the broader implementation of the agreement at the state level in Jonglei.