This article lists the heads of state of South Sudan since the establishment of the Southern Sudan Autonomous Region within Sudan in 1972.
| President of the Republic of South Sudan | |
|---|---|
Presidential Seal
| |
| |
Salva Kiir Mayardit since 9 July 2011 | |
| Style | His Excellency |
| Type | Head of state Head of government |
| Member of | Cabinet |
| Residence | State House, Juba |
| Seat | Juba |
| Appointer | [John Garang] |
| Term length | 13 years[1] |
| Constituting instrument | Transitional Consistution of South Sudan |
| Precursor | President of the Government of Southern Sudan |
| Formation | 9 July 2011 |
| First holder | Salva Kiir Mayardit |
| Deputy | Vice President of South Sudan |
| Salary | 45,922,800 SSP / 150,000-300,000 USD Monthly [2] |
| Website | www |
The president of the Republic of South Sudan is the head of state and head of governmentofSouth Sudan. The president leads the executive branch of the Government of South Sudan and is the commander-in-chief of the South Sudan People's Defence Forces. The official residence of the president is State House, J1.
The region of Southern Sudan (currently the independent republic of South Sudan) became autonomous for the first time, within Sudan, in 1972, through the Addis Ababa Agreement meant to end the First Sudanese Civil War, and its local government had five presidents until 1983, when the Sudanese central government revoked the autonomy. Autonomy was gained again in 2005, through the Comprehensive Peace Agreement meant to end the Second Sudanese Civil War, and the position of president of Southern Sudan was restored. Then, on 9 July 2011, South Sudan became independent and a new constitution was adopted.[1]
Salva Kiir's term as elected president ended in 2015, but constitutional amendments of 2018 and Revitalised Transitional Government of National Unity (RTGoNU) formed in 2020 extended his mandate until 2023.[3]
(Dates in italics indicate de facto continuation of office)
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) |
Term of office | Political party | Elected | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Took office | Left office | Time in office | |||||
| edit | |||||||
| 1 |
| Abel Alier (born 1933) | 6 April 1972 | February 1978 | 5 years, 9 months | SF | – |
| 2 |
| Joseph Lagu (born 1929) | February 1978 | 12 July 1979 | 1 year, 5 months | SANU | – |
| 3 |
| Peter Gatkuoth (1938–2010) | 12 July 1979 | 30 May 1980 | 323 days | Independent | – |
| (1) |
| Abel Alier (born 1933) | 30 May 1980 | 5 October 1981 | 1 year, 128 days | SF | – |
| 4 |
| Gismalla Abdalla Rassas (1932–2013) | 5 October 1981 | 23 June 1982 | 261 days | Independent | – |
| 5 |
| Joseph James Tombura (1929–1992) | 23 June 1982 | 5 June 1983 | 347 days | SANU | – |
| Autonomy abolished (5 June 1983 – 9 July 2005) | |||||||
| edit | |||||||
| 6 |
| John Garang (1945–2005) [a] | 9 July 2005 | 30 July 2005 † | 21 days | SPLM | – |
| – |
| Salva Kiir Mayardit (born 1951) Acting | 30 July 2005 | 11 August 2005 | 12 days | SPLM | – |
| 7 |
| Salva Kiir Mayardit (born 1951) | 11 August 2005 | 9 July 2011 | 5 years, 332 days | SPLM | 2010 |
Republic of South Sudan (2011–present) | |||||||
| (7) |
| Salva Kiir Mayardit (born 1951) | 9 July 2011 | Incumbent | 13 years, 10 days | SPLM | – |
Note: The President of South Sudan was also First Vice President of the Sudanese national government until 9 July 2011.
