Kiir appoints daughter to key role as Finance minister fired

By Newsflash Correspondent

South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir has once again stirred debate after appointing his daughter, Adut Salva Kiir, to a senior state position while dismissing his country’s seventh Finance minister, fueling accusations of nepotism.

On Thursday, August 21, State Radio confirmed that President Kiir named Adut as the Senior Presidential Envoy for Special Programmes, a role that places her among his closest advisors. She replaces Dr Benjamin Bol Mel, who was promoted to Vice-President in charge of the Economic Cluster.

At the same time, Finance Minister Marial Dongrin Ater, who had only served since July 2023, was dismissed. He has been replaced by Athian Ding Athian, a former minister of Finance who was previously dropped in 2021. No official reasons were given for the reshuffle, though some sources hinted it was linked to delicate negotiations with Western lenders, requiring someone deemed more trustworthy.

Adut, who has previously kept a low political profile, runs the Adut Salva Kiir Foundation, a non-profit focusing on charity and humanitarian work. Supporters argue her new role aligns with her background, but critics insist it reinforces a pattern of dynastic politics. Civil society groups, including the Community Empowerment for Progress Organisation, warned that the appointment risks prioritising family interests over public service.

Regional trend of family rule

Nepotism has been a recurring feature in South Sudan’s politics. In April 2023, Defence Minister Angelina Teny—wife of First Vice-President Riek Machar—was dismissed under controversial circumstances, leaving Machar under house arrest on accusations of backing tribal militias. As early as 2013, the judiciary faced criticism when the then Chief Justice appointed his daughter as a personal assistant.

Analysts point out that the country’s fragile governance and limited skilled manpower have allowed the political elite—many of whom educated their children abroad during the war—to monopolise senior appointments. This has made nepotism harder to police in the absence of strong legal frameworks.

President Kiir is not unique in the region. In Uganda, President Yoweri Museveni appointed his son, Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, as the Chief of Defence Forces in March 2024, while his wife Janet serves as Education minister. At least 25 of Museveni’s relatives reportedly hold government positions.

In Kenya, President William Ruto’s daughter, June Ruto, was appointed Director of Foreign Service, a move that drew mixed reactions despite her qualifications.

In South Sudan, however, the extent of family involvement in state affairs is striking. In November 2024, Kiir named his son, Thiik Salva Kiir Mayardit, Deputy Executive Director in the Office of the President. In 2017, he appointed his brother-in-law, Gen Gregory Deng, as governor of Gogrial State.

A 2024 report by anti-corruption watchdog The Sentry revealed that at least 23 members of Kiir’s family—including his wife, nine children and grandchildren, and other relatives—hold stakes in companies central to South Sudan’s economy and benefit from lucrative state contracts. The report concluded that such practices blur the line between governance and personal enrichment.

Critics now fear Adut’s elevation will deepen this trend, further entrenching what some describe as “inheritance governance” in one of Africa’s youngest but most fragile states.