President Salva Kiir’s office said it regrets that the president appointed a dead person to the leadership body of the parties to peace agreement and is taking steps to correct the error.
The Republican Order dated January 30, 2026, included the
name of Mr. Steward Sorobo Budia, who had passed away prior to the issuance of
the order. His name was submitted by one of the signatory stakeholders during
formal consultations.
“This decision was reached following wide-ranging
consultations where names were adduced by various stakeholders to ensure a
representative selection process,” said Ambassador David Amour Majur, Press
Secretary in the Office of the President, in a statement issued on Monday.
“To be sure, the Office relied entirely on the accuracy and
currency of the names submitted by the stakeholders during the formal
consultative phase.”
Amour said the office has begun rectifying the appointment
order and is awaiting a replacement nominee from the stakeholder concerned.
“Moving forward, the Office will implement more stringent
verification protocols to ensure that all stakeholder submissions meet the
highest standards of accuracy,” he added.
The office also extended condolences to the family of the
late Mr. Sorobo and reaffirmed its commitment to continuity and inclusivity in
implementing the R-ARCSS.
South Sudan is preparing for long-awaited general elections
later this year.
The appointments follow a statement last month by President Kiir reaffirming that the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) is ready to engage in dialogue with other political parties ahead of the 2026 elections.