South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir has sacked his foreign affairs minister who had been in office for less than a year.

James Pitia Morgan, who was appointed last August, was dismissed in a presidential decree read out on state television on Thursday night.

Before becoming foreign affairs minister, Mr Morgan was South Sudan’s ambassador to Ethiopia.

He has now been replaced by his former deputy, Ramadan Abdallah Goch.

President Kiir appointed Mr Morgan as his envoy for the Great Lakes region.

Mr Kiir also dismissed Mayen Wol Dut, the long-serving undersecretary for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and appointed him as South Sudan’s new ambassador to China.

There were no reasons given for the latest reshuffle.

Observers say it could be a political tactic for Mr Kiir ahead of elections, scheduled for December.

Mr Goch is the first Muslim to head the foreign ministry.