Vice President of South Sudan facts for kids

Quick facts for kids First Vice President of the Republic of South Sudan
Flag of South Sudan
Incumbent Riek Machar since 21 February 2020
Appointer	President of South Sudan
Inaugural holder	Riek Machar
Formation	21 February 2020

The vice president of South Sudan is a very important job. It's the second highest political position in South Sudan. Think of it like being the second-in-command to the president.

Sometimes, a special job called first vice president was also created. This happened in August 2015 for a short time. In 2020, leaders in South Sudan agreed to have five vice presidents working together.

Understanding the Vice President's Role

A vice president helps the president run the country. They step in if the president can't do their job. In South Sudan, this role has changed over time.

Vice Presidents from 2005 to 2020

This section lists the vice presidents of Southern Sudan when it was an autonomous region of Sudan. It also includes vice presidents of the Republic of South Sudan after it became an independent country in 2011.

Party Colors (to help you understand the political groups):      Sudan People's Liberation Movement      Sudan People's Liberation Movement-in-Opposition      South Sudan Opposition Alliance

Vice Presidents of Southern Sudan (2005–2011)

This list shows the vice presidents when Southern Sudan was still part of Sudan.

Picture		Name	Time in Office		Political Party	President
			Started	Ended
		Salva Kiir Mayardit	9 July 2005	30 July 2005	SPLM		John Garang
No one in office (30 July – 11 August 2005)								Salva Kiir Mayardit
		Riek Machar	11 August 2005	9 July 2011	SPLM

Vice Presidents of the Republic of South Sudan (2011–2020)

This list shows the vice presidents after South Sudan became an independent country.

Picture		Name	Time in Office		Political Party	President
			Started	Ended
		Riek Machar	9 July 2011	23 July 2013	SPLM		Salva Kiir Mayardit
No one in office (23 July – 25 August 2013)
		James Wani Igga	25 August 2013	21 February 2020	SPLM

First Vice Presidents (2016–2020)

In August 2015, a special agreement was signed to help resolve conflict in South Sudan. This agreement created a new job called 'first vice president'. The president and regular vice president continued their jobs.

The first vice president job was meant to be temporary. It was only for a special period of transition. It would end unless a new decision was made in the country's main laws.

Picture		Name	Time in Office		Political Party	President
			Started	Ended
		Riek Machar	26 April 2016	26 July 2016	SPLM-IO		Salva Kiir Mayardit
		Taban Deng Gai	26 July 2016	21 February 2020	SPLM-IO (Juba group)

Vice Presidents in the Revitalised Government (Since 2020)

In February 2020, a new government was formed called the Revitalised Transitional Government of National Unity (RTGoNU). This government included five vice presidents. Two new vice presidents were appointed on February 10, 2025, as part of a cabinet change.

Position		Picture	Name	Time in Office		Political Party	President
				Started	Ended
	First		Riek Machar	21 February 2020	Still in office	SPLM-IO		Salva Kiir Mayardit
	Second		James Wani Igga	21 February 2020	10 February 2025	SPLM
			Benjamin Bol Mel	10 February 2025	Still in office	SPLM
	Third		Taban Deng Gai	21 February 2020	Still in office	SPLM-IO (Juba group)
	Fourth		Rebecca Nyandeng Garang	21 February 2020	Still in office	SPLM (Former Detainees group)
	Fifth		Hussein Abdelbagi	21 February 2020	10 February 2025	SSOA
			Josephine Lagu	10 February 2025	Still in office	SSOA

Timeline of Vice Presidents

This timeline shows when each vice president served.

See also

• Southern Sudan Autonomous Region (1972–1983)
• Southern Sudan Autonomous Region (2005–2011)
• Politics of South Sudan
• History of South Sudan
• List of governors of pre-independence Sudan
• List of heads of state of South Sudan