South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir Mayardit has dismissed senior officials in the Office of the President following an embarrassing administrative blunder in which a man who died five years ago was appointed to a committee tasked with preparing for the country’s December elections.
A presidential press release dated February 3, 2026, ”announced the relief of Chief Administrator Valentino Dhel Malueth and Press Secretary David Amour Majur from their positions. The statement also confirmed the appointment of Marik Nanga Marik as the new Chief Administrator in the Ministry of Presidential Affairs, with the position of Press Secretary yet to be filled.”
The shake-up comes after public backlash over the erroneous committee appointment, which raised concerns about vetting processes within the presidency as South Sudan prepares for polls.
Meanwhile, relatives of the deceased individual have demanded compensation, saying the incident caused distress to the family and disrespected the memory of their loved one.
The government has not publicly detailed how the error occurred, but the dismissals signal accountability measures as preparations for the elections intensify.
