The Governor of Upper Nile State, James Koang Chuol Ranlay, has issued a gubernatorial order suspending the Commissioner of Nasir County, James Gatluak Lew Thiep, with immediate effect.
According to Gubernatorial Decree No. 03/2025, dated April 4, 2025, and shared with the media, the suspension takes effect immediately.
“I, H.E. James Koang Chuol Ranlay, Governor of Upper Nile State, do hereby issue this Gubernatorial Decree No. 03/2025 for the suspension of Hon. James Gatluak Lew Thiep, Commissioner of Nasir County, with effect from the fourth of April, 2025 AD,” the decree partly reads.
Commissioner Gatluak came to power under the ticket of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-in-Opposition (SPLM/A-IO), the main opposition party in South Sudan.
The SPLM/A-IO has yet to issue a statement regarding the suspension.
Though the order did not specify the reasons behind the suspension, Nasir County remains a hotspot of political and military tension.
The area has seen ongoing conflict between the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) and the White Army, a community-based militia allegedly backed by the SPLM/A-IO.
Despite the suspension, local sources report that Commissioner Gatluak continues to operate from his office in Nasir, where the SPLM/A-IO and White Army maintain strong control on the ground.
On March 3, 2025, violent clashes erupted in Nasir between the SSPDF and armed youth, leading to the White Army’s capture of the town’s army barracks.
During an SSPDF evacuation attempt on March 7, United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) helicopters came under fire, resulting in significant casualties.
These clashes have had major political ramifications, including the arrest of several SPLM/A-IO-affiliated politicians suspected of supporting or fueling the conflict.
