South Sudan

Cabinet restricts access to President Salva Kiir over health, safety protocols

South Sudan President Salva Kiir attends the signing of a peace agreement aimed to end a war, in Khartoum, Sudan, on June 27, 2018. (Photo: Mohamed Nureldin Abdallah/Reuters)

By Terry Muriuki | Wednesday, June 5, 2024

The decision was approved by the Council of Ministers and aims to enhance office protocols and streamline visitor schedules, Minister for the Presidency Joseph Bakosoro said.

The South Sudanese Cabinet has restricted access to President Salva Kiir, citing concerns over his health and safety protocol breaches within the presidential palace.

The decision was approved by the Council of Ministers and aims to enhance office protocols and streamline visitor schedules, Minister for the Presidency Joseph Bakosoro announced, as reported by the Sudan Tribune.

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Following the decision, Deputy Information Minister Jacob Korok stated that ministers seeking an audience with the president must now submit a formal request to the Cabinet Affairs Office.

“Ministers will have to fill out and submit a form to the Minister of Cabinet Affairs Office before rushing to the president’s office. You have to fill out the form, which will be taken to the Office of the Minister of Presidential Affairs, and then you will be informed that your time has come," he said.

"The new measures and procedures are meant to reduce congestion in the president’s office."

According to the Sudan Tribune, the restrictions do not exempt presidential advisers, security, and defence officials.

The Cabinet's decision has sparked concerns over the country's political stability and the 72-year-old president's well-being, with various parties questioning the underlying motivations and the implications for governance.

Many believe it’s potentially prioritising personal interests over the greater good, especially as the country prepares for the general elections in December 2024.

Last year, President Kiir’s visit to Saudi Arabia for the Saudi-Africa Summit raised questions among the people of South Sudan, who speculated that his supposed travel was for medical treatment.

The rumours surfaced despite an official announcement by President Press Secretary Lily Adheu, that the president was joining other African heads of state in Riyadh for the summit.

Kiir’s return to Juba contrasted with rumours surrounding his health, alleging his departure to Saudi Arabia from the UAE for medical attention. Reports inaccurately pointed to Saudi Arabia as a destination, even though the UAE has more advanced medical facilities.

Kiir has been South Sudan's president since 2011, when it gained independence. Claims of his ill health have been circulating for years, especially on social media, but government officials have always denied them.