Salva Kiir 'Death' reports – DW – 15.05.2025

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation in South Sudan on Thursday defeated reports that President Salva Kiir died.

While there was online speculation about the health of the 73-year-old leader, the Foreign Ministry said that Kiir was “alive, good and fully involved in the service of the nation”.

“False and malicious reports” condemned

The Ministry “denies the wrong and malicious reports on social media categorically and strong, in which it has been claimed that his excellence president Salva Kiir Mayardit has died,” says a statement published on Facebook.

According to the ministry's statement, Kiir “continues to carry out his presidential tasks with strength, commitment, solid health and full fitness”.

It continued to condemn what it described as “deliberate spread of misinformation in order to create unnecessary panic, confusion and instability”.

In late Wednesday, the reports on social media began to kill Kiir. A Kenyan politician even wrote on the X platform that he had heard that Kiir had “kicked the bucket”.

“These are completely unfounded and irresponsible rumors created by enemies of peace, development, structure and stability in South Sudan,” said the Foreign Ministry.

South Sudan uncertainty

The claims come when the South Sudan faces uncertainty, with the clashes between forces and Vice President Riek Machar spread out in several areas across the country.

The UN has warned that the country on the edge of the renewed civil war.

A peace agreement was signed in 2018 and ended a five -year conflict in which 400,000 people were killed.

This agreement led to an electricity supply system in which Machar was one of five vice presidents who worked with President Salva Kiir in a unit government.

Published by: Saim Dušan Inayatullah