Kiir Sacks Officials Over Appointment of Man Dead For Five Years
South Sudan’s President, Salva Kiir, has dismissed two senior officials after a major administrative blunder led to the appointment of a man who died five years ago to a government committee on elections.
Those sacked are the President’s Press Secretary, David Amour Major, and the Chief Administrator at the Ministry of Presidential Affairs, Valentino Dhel Maluet.
The dismissals followed a presidential decree issued on January 30, which named Steward Soroba Budia as a member of a panel set up to spearhead discussions on South Sudan’s electoral process, according to BBC News Pidgin.
Subsequent checks by local media revealed that Budia had been deceased for about five years. The revelation sparked widespread ridicule and criticism on social media, with many citizens questioning how such an oversight could occur at the highest level of government.
In a statement issued shortly after the controversy erupted, the Presidency announced the removal of the two officials, explaining that the Office of the President had relied on the “accuracy and currency” of names submitted by stakeholders for inclusion in the committee.
