The Rise and Fall of Benjamin Bol Mel

[John Ashworth]

Attached please find a new report from the Small Arms Survey entitled
"Wun Weng’s Victory: The Rise and Fall of Benjamin Bol Mel" by Joshua
Craze, December 2025.

Key Findings

- Benjamin Bol Mel was fired after a rift emerged between him and
Salva Kiir’s family, following his bid to consolidate control of the
president’s office.
- Bol Mel had played a key role in transferring state funds into the
pockets of Kiir’s family, gaining their support. Business disputes
between him and Adut Salva, Kiir’s daughter, who became concerned
about his desire for the presidency, precipitated his downfall.
- Bol Mel has gone the way of a series of Kiir’s previous rivals. In
each case, Kiir built up potential contenders for the throne until
they revealed their ambitions, at which point they were ruthlessly
removed.
- Kiir himself has shown no interest in succession. He remains intent
on leading South Sudan into elections postulated for 2026. A
succession will nonetheless occur, and likely augur a chaotic period
of repeated changes at the top. Kiir has intentionally created a
system predicated on eroding the political legitimacy of both the
Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) and the political elite.
There is no one in the country able to succeed him.

https://www.smallarmssurvey.org/resource/wun-wengs-victory-rise-and-fall-benjamin-bol-mel

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______________________
John Ashworth

ashwor...@gmail.com

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