Mathew Amaehi
South Sudan’s government has firmly rejected online claims that President Salva Kiir Mayardit had died, insisting he remains in “sound health” and is diligently carrying out his duties amid deepening tensions with his longtime rival, First Vice-President Riek Machar.
In recent months, the 73-year-old leader has undertaken a series of high-profile cabinet reshuffles and hosted visiting dignitaries, even as fresh clashes between pro-Kiir forces and Machar’s supporters spark fears of a return to civil war.
Late Wednesday, social media erupted with unverified posts suggesting that President Kiir had “kicked the bucket,” a rumour widely attributed to a Kenyan blogger and activist.
Within hours, South Sudan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement “categorically and strongly” denying the reports as “false and malicious,” affirming that Kiir is “alive, well, and fully engaging in the service of the nation.”
The ministry condemned the spread of misinformation as a deliberate attempt by “enemies of peace, development, nation building, and stability” to sow panic and confusion among the populace.
Government spokespersons urged citizens and the international community to disregard any unverified claims and refrain from sharing rumours that could threaten national cohesion.
Over the past three months, President Kiir has executed dramatic personnel changes, including replacing two vice-presidents and the head of national intelligence—a move analysts say positions potential successors and consolidates his grip on power ahead of looming elections.
In April, he also swapped the foreign minister for his deputy following a dispute with Washington over deportees, and briefly sidelined Machar when the ruling party appointed an interim chairman in his place during Machar’s house arrest.
These abrupt shifts have exacerbated the deep-seated rivalry between Kiir and Machar, which reignited in late February when government troops loyal to Kiir clashed with fighters of the White Army militia, long aligned with Machar’s faction.
The denial of Kiir’s death rumours coincides with renewed fighting in several regions, where reports emerged of a United Nations helicopter evacuation mission being attacked in Nasir, killing a senior general and dozens of soldiers amid clashes between rival forces.
International observers warn that the breakdown of the 2018 peace deal has left South Sudan teetering on the brink, with fears that the country’s youngest generation may once again be dragged into ethnically charged violence.
Machar’s detention in March prompted an internal split within his Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-In-Opposition, as some members appointed an interim leader and others fled the country in protest, deepening divisions that threaten to derail the fragile peace process.
With both leaders under intense scrutiny, South Sudan’s path forward hinges on the standoff between presidential authority and vice-presidential challenge, as well as the ability of regional and international mediators to revive dialogue before warfare resumes.