South Sudan President Dismisses Top Aides After Deceased Man Appointed to Election Body
Juba, South Sudan – President Salva Kiir has dismissed two senior aides following a significant administrative blunder that saw a deceased politician appointed to a key committee overseeing the country’s planned transition to elections.
The error occurred on January 30, when President Kiir issued a decree appointing Steward Sorobo Budia to the National Constitutional Review Commission (NCRC), a vital body under the Revitalized Peace Agreement (R-ARCSS) tasked with preparing for elections. However, Budia died in 2021.
The appointment was quickly highlighted by local media and social media users, prompting the president’s office to acknowledge the mistake. In a statement, the office attributed the error to an “administrative oversight,” blaming the inclusion of Budia’s name on unverified stakeholder lists submitted for the appointments.
On February 3, President Kiir took corrective action, dismissing his Chief Administrator, Valentino Dhel Malueth, and his Press Secretary, David Amour Majur.
The incident has drawn anger from Budia’s family, who have demanded a public apology from the government. They also seek the nomination of a successor from Budia’s home community and reparations, citing cultural offense for invoking his spirit without the family’s consent.
This administrative misstep highlights the ongoing challenges and delays in South Sudan’s fragile peace process and election preparations, which have been repeatedly postponed amid persistent conflict and political instability. The country is currently scheduled to hold its first national elections in December 2024.
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