James Wani Igga

James Wani Igga was born in 1949.^[6] He is variously described to stem from the Bari^[7] and Zande^[8] ethnic groups and he is a Roman Catholic. He studied at the Cairo University of Economics.^[7][9]

Igga joined the South Sudanese rebels in 1985, training in Cuba and Ethiopia. He rose rapidly through the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) ranks,^[7] and, by 1987, had the rank of major and commanded the Shakus Battalion.^[10] The same year, he was Zonal Commander of Central Equatoria and a member of the SPLA/M High Command.^[11] He was reportedly well-respected among civilians.^[12]

Igga was one of the SPLA's most senior representatives during negotiations with SPLA-Nasir. He represented Garang as the head of the SPLA-Torit delegation at peace talks in Nairobi in November 1991. In 1993, he accompanied Garang to Nairobi for a peacemaking seminar in June and to Kampala for an IGAD-mediated dialogue with the Nasir faction.^[13] Igga had known Lam Akol, one of the Nasir leaders, since their time together in the Cuban training camp.^[8]

As chairman of the SPLM Political Affairs Commission, Igga established the Technical Committee of Intellectuals in February 2000. This committee was tasked with planning the civil administration of Southern Sudan.^[14]

Following the 2005 signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement establishing the autonomy of Southern Sudan, Igga was in charge of changing the SPLM from an insurgent strategic leadership to a political party. He was chosen as the speaker of Southern Sudan Legislative Assembly in 2005,^[15] and he continued in that office until independence in 2011. In addition, he was appointed caretaker governor of Upper Nile State for the transitional period.^[14]

Igga read out the proclamation of independence when the two Sudan's divided.^[7] He continued as the legislative speaker of the lower house from 2011 to 2013.^[16]

President Salva Kiir appointed Igga as vice president on 23 August 2013 to replace Riek Machar, who he had dismissed a month previously. He was required to resign as speaker.^[17] Igga was unanimously confirmed by the National Assembly on 26 August.^[18]

On 30 May 2020, Igga tested positive for COVID-19 during the COVID-19 pandemic in South Sudan.^[19]

On 19 August 2020, six of Igga's bodyguards were killed in a road ambush by National Salvation Front rebels in Igga's hometown of Lobonok. He was not with those bodyguards at the time.^[20]

On 10 February 2025, President Kiir implemented a cabinet reshuffle that resulted in the replacement of Igga as vice president by Benjamin Bol Mel and Igga becoming secretary-general of the SPLM.^[21]