JUBA — A significant institutional conflict has erupted in Northern Bahr el Ghazal State, exposing deep fissures within the government and the business community. At its heart is a power struggle over the governance of the Chamber of Commerce, pitting two state ministries against each other and raising critical questions about regulatory overreach, legal mandates, and political influence in South Sudan’s commercial sector.
The controversy was ignited by a ministerial order dated January 2, 2026, issued by State Minister of Labour, Public Service and Human Resource Development, Hikma Ali Malek. The order directed Chamber of Commerce Chairperson Deng Makol Athian to immediately vacate his office and surrender all official documents and assets to a newly appointed 11-member steering committee. This committee’s mandate is to organize fresh elections for the chamber’s leadership.
Minister Malek’s directive, a copy of which was obtained by Sudans Post, cites the South Sudan Workers’ Trade Union Act of 2023 as its legal basis. This is a crucial point of contention. The Labour Ministry argues that Deng Makol has overstayed his mandate, having assumed the chairmanship in 2020, and has mismanaged the chamber’s affairs. The order specifically references Article 11 of the chamber’s own constitution, asserting that members’ rights to elect and be elected have been violated by the extended tenure. The ministry further claims its action was informed by a fact-finding committee led by State Security Adviser Awet Kiir Aweet, whose findings recommended action against the incumbent leadership.
However, this move was met with a swift and forceful rebuke from the state’s Ministry of Trade, Mining and Industry. In a counter-letter, the Trade Ministry declared the suspension “null and void,” accusing its Labour counterpart of a clear overstep of authority. The Trade Ministry’s position is foundational: it asserts that as the parent ministry for commercial entities, it holds the sole legal mandate to oversee the Chamber of Commerce. It emphasized that the chamber operates under its own autonomous constitution and internal disciplinary procedures, which were bypassed by the Labour Ministry’s direct intervention. This clash represents a classic bureaucratic conflict over jurisdictional boundaries, with significant implications for how business institutions are regulated.
The figure at the center of this storm, Deng Makol Athian, is no stranger to controversy. Appointed by former National Minister Benjamin Bol Mel, his tenure has been politically charged. He was previously detained—though later released—amid allegations of ties to opposition figure and former army chief Paul Malong Awan. This history suggests that the current administrative dispute may be intertwined with deeper political undercurrents within the state and the nation. The chamber’s leadership is not merely an administrative post; it is a position of economic influence that can be leveraged for political patronage or control.
The standoff has created palpable uncertainty within Northern Bahr el Ghazal’s business community. Traders and investors now face a confusing landscape where two arms of the state government issue contradictory orders. Key questions remain unresolved: Which ministry’s directive carries legal weight? Can elections organized under the Labour Ministry’s disputed committee be considered legitimate? What precedent does this set for the autonomy of private business associations?
This incident transcends a simple personnel dispute. It is a case study in governance challenges in post-conflict South Sudan, highlighting overlapping mandates, weak institutional clarity, and the potential for political scores to be settled through administrative channels. The resolution—or escalation—of this conflict will signal to the business community how reliably the state can provide a stable and predictable regulatory environment, which is essential for economic recovery and growth.