Mockery and Missteps: President Sacks 2 Senior Aides After Embarrassing Error

‎ ‎President Salva Kiir of South Sudan has dismissed two senior aides after a major blunder exposed deep embarrassment within his office: the appointment of a man who has been dead for five years to a key electoral panel. ‎ ‎

‎In a presidential order, Kiir named Steward Soroba Budia, an opposition member of the United Democratic Party, to a committee tasked with preparing for December’s long-delayed elections. ‎ ‎

‎Local media quickly revealed Budia had died years earlier, sparking ridicule across social media. ‎

‎Days later, Kiir removed his press secretary, David Amour Major, and Valentino Dhel Maluet, a senior official in the Ministry of Presidential Affairs. ‎ ‎

‎An official statement thanked them for their service but offered no explanation for their dismissal. ‎ ‎

‎Before his removal, Amour attributed the mistake to unnamed “stakeholders,” saying the president’s office had relied on the accuracy of names submitted and that proper verification had not been carried out. ‎ ‎

‎The episode comes at a fragile moment for South Sudan. Elections have repeatedly been postponed since independence in 2011, and fresh violence continues to displace civilians. ‎ ‎

‎In Jonglei state, government forces are clashing with fighters aligned to Vice-President Riek Machar, who is under house arrest and facing charges including treason and crimes against humanity allegations he denies. ‎ ‎

‎Kiir and Machar remain bound by a 2018 peace deal meant to end years of civil war. But as conflict persists and administrative missteps mount, confidence in the country’s path toward credible elections appears increasingly uncertain.