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President sacks two aides following posthumous appointment
South Sudan's President Salva Kiir has relieved two senior officials of their duties after an embarrassing error in which a deceased opposition figure was named to a key election panel.
The appointment blunder
A presidential decree issued on 30 January listed Steward Soroba Budia, a member of the opposition United Democratic Party (UDP), as part of a panel tasked with overseeing preparations for December's elections. However, local media quickly revealed that Budia had died five years earlier, sparking widespread ridicule on social media.
Officials dismissed without explanation
In a statement released on Tuesday, the presidency announced the removal of press secretary David Amour Major and Valentino Dhel Maluet, chief administrator in the Ministry of Presidential Affairs. The statement, signed by Minister of Presidential Affairs Africano Mande Gedima, expressed the president's "profound gratitude" for their service but did not specify the reason for their dismissal.
Accountability and verification failures
In a press release issued on Monday, Amour had defended the presidency, stating that the office relied on the "accuracy and currency" of names submitted by stakeholders. He acknowledged that a "thorough verification was not done by one of the stakeholders," leading to the "unfortunate administrative oversight." Neither Amour nor the UDP identified the responsible party.
Broader context: elections and conflict
Budia was a signatory to the 2018 peace agreement aimed at ending the conflict that erupted after South Sudan's independence in 2011. The panel he was appointed to, composed of representatives from various parties, is intended to facilitate the upcoming elections. However, skepticism remains about whether the vote will proceed as planned, given the country's ongoing instability.
Previous elections have been postponed, and Kiir has remained in power since independence. The United Nations reports that recent fighting has displaced over 180,000 people, with Jonglei state experiencing some of the worst violence as government forces clash with factions loyal to suspended Vice-President Riek Machar.
Political tensions persist
Machar, currently under house arrest, faces charges of murder, treason, and crimes against humanity, which he denies. Both he and Kiir were supposed to share power under the 2018 peace deal, which ended a five-year civil war triggered by a power struggle between the two leaders.
