South Sudan's President Salva Kiir dissolved the transitional unity government and appointed a caretaker administration ahead of country's first general elections due in December.

The changes, announced in a presidential order read on state-owned South Sudan Broadcasting Corporation on Tuesday, September 22, removed the vice presidents, ministers and local administrators and dissolved the national and state legislative assemblies.

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Kiir remains president during the electoral period until a newly elected president is sworn in, according to the order.

The caretaker administration includes 13 national ministries, 10 state governors and chief administrators for Abyei, Greater Pibor and Ruweng administrative areas.

The dissolution follows amendments to the National Elections Act signed into law by Kiir on Monday. The amendments removed previous legal requirements linking the elections to completion of a permanent constitution and a national population and housing census.

Kiir has led South Sudan since the country's independence from Sudan in 2011.

The National Elections Commission is preparing to begin voter registration ahead of the December 22 polls.

The caretaker arrangement replaces the power-sharing government established under a 2018 peace agreement.