Kiir’s office bans public broadcast of presidential sackings, tightens secrecy around decrees

JUBA — South Sudan’s presidency has issued a directive banning the public announcement of the appointment or removal of senior officials through state media, marking a shift from President Salva Kiir’s long-standing practice of reshuffling officials on national television.

In a circular dated January 8, 2026, issued by the Ministry of Presidential Affairs, the government ordered an immediate halt to the practice of announcing presidential appointments and dismissals via the South Sudan Broadcasting Corporation or any other public broadcaster.

The directive says public broadcasting should no longer be used as the primary channel for communicating executive personnel decisions and introduces new, confidential procedures for handling presidential decrees and appointments.

The order was signed by Africano Mande Gedima, Minister of Presidential Affairs, and states that all actions involving officials appointed or removed under presidential prerogative must now be communicated directly and discreetly through official letters from the Office of the President to the relevant authorities.

It also prohibits photographing, scanning or posting any official document bearing the president’s signature on the internet or social media platforms, including WhatsApp, Facebook and X, classifying such materials as “privileged executive communication.”

The directive further instructs that access to presidential decrees be restricted on a strict “need-to-know” basis, with only authorized personnel allowed to handle or view such documents. Officials responsible for implementing presidential decisions are required to submit a consolidated compliance report to the Office of the President within 48 hours.

Recipients of the circular are warned that unauthorized disclosure of presidential decisions to the media or public would be treated as a serious breach of official protocol and dealt with under applicable laws.

President Kiir has for years been known for announcing appointments and dismissals of ministers, governors, generals and senior officials through late-night television broadcasts, often without prior notice.

The president has also developed a reputation for frequent and abrupt reshuffles, at times removing or reassigning officials just days — and in some cases hours — after their appointment, a practice that critics say has contributed to administrative instability and uncertainty within government institutions.

Under the new directive, the presidency said the changes are intended to enhance professionalism, protect the dignity of public office and ensure administrative stability during the transition period.

The circular states that the president will maintain a central registry to monitor the distribution of all decrees to ensure no unauthorized digital copies are created, and empowers speakers of parliament, ministers and governors to enforce compliance, including initiating legal or administrative action against officials who refuse to hand over office following a presidential decision.

South Sudan has been governed by a transitional administration since the 2018 peace agreement that ended a five-year civil war, but governance has remained highly centralized around the presidency, with frequent reshuffles widely seen as a tool used by Kiir to manage political loyalty and internal power struggles.

It was not immediately clear whether the new directive would significantly alter the pace or frequency of presidential reshuffles, but analysts say it signals an effort by the presidency to exert tighter control over how executive power is communicated — and perceived — by the public.