President Salva Kiir has dismissed the SPLA Chief of General Staff, James Hoth Mai.

In a presidential decree read out on the state-run SSTV last evening, the President appointed Paul Malong Awan as the new Chief of General Staff.

Mr Malong served as governor of Northern Bahr el Ghazal from March 27, 2008 to April 23, 2014.

In another Presidential decree, President Kiir fired, General Mac Paul as the Military Intelligence chief and replaced him with Marial Nuor, who was the former Director of Public Security and Criminal Investigation Department.

The Press Secretary in the Office of the President, Ateny Wek said it is a reshuffle within the security sector.

“Whether the person is good or bad, the position of Chief of Staff is not kept for more than 2 years,” said Mr Ateny.

“And the former Chief of Staff in the person of General James Hoth Mai has been there, he has overstayed, he has stayed for more than 6 years. So that was a routine change.”

General James Hoth Mai is the second man to hold this position after the former Minister of National Security General, Oyai Deng Ajak.

President Salva Kiir also appointed Kuel Aguer Kuel as the acting governor Northern Bahr el Ghazal state