South Sudan moves to calm rumors of President Salva Kiir’s death, with the Foreign Ministry denying the claims as ‘false and malicious’.
Reports circulating on social media that South Sudanese President Salva Kiir had passed away have been dismissed by the country’s Foreign Ministry as ‘false and malicious.‘ The ministry has issued a statement denying the rumors, stating that Kiir is alive and well, fully engaged in his presidential duties.
Salva Kiir is the current President of South Sudan, a position he has held since independence in 2011.
Born on January 9, 1951, in Wunthou, South Sudan, Kiir was a key figure in the country's fight for independence from Sudan.
He served as the Chairman of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) and played a crucial role in negotiating the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) with the Sudanese government.
As President, Kiir has faced numerous challenges, including civil war, economic instability, and corruption.
Kiir’s Health and Presidential Duties
According to the ministry statement, President Salva Kiir continues to carry out his presidential duties with vigor, commitment, sound health, and complete fitness. The statement emphasizes that these reports are ‘entirely baseless and irresponsible rumors fabricated by enemies of peace, development, nation building, and stability in South Sudan.‘
The claims come as the country faces a bout of insecurity, with clashes between forces aligned with Kiir and Vice President Riek Machar breaking out in several areas around the country. The UN has warned that South Sudan is teetering on the brink of renewed civil war.
Riek Machar Teny Dhurgon is a South Sudanese politician and rebel leader.
He served as the First Vice President of South Sudan from 2011 to 2013, under President Salva Kiir Mayardit.
Born in 1951, Machar was a key figure in the Second Sudanese Civil War.
In 2015, he fled South Sudan after fighting broke out between government forces and his faction of the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA).
He has been recognized as the legitimate President of South Sudan by some opposition groups.
Peace Agreement and Power-Sharing Scheme
A peace agreement signed in 2018 ended a five-year conflict that killed 400,000 people. The agreement led to a power-sharing scheme in which Machar was one of five vice presidents working alongside President Salva Kiir in a unity government. However, the current tensions and clashes raise concerns about the stability of this arrangement.
In conclusion, the South Sudanese Foreign Ministry has strongly denied rumors of President Salva Kiir’s death, emphasizing that he is alive and well. The country faces significant security challenges, including a resurgence of civil war, which threatens the peace agreement and power-sharing scheme in place since 2018.
