President Salva Kiir Says Officials Joined Private Trip Expecting Cash

[00:00:00]South Sudanese President Salva Kiir is facing questions after saying government officials joined his [music] private trip to Bahr el Ghazal because they expected cash handouts.

[00:00:10]Kiir made the comments during a public rally in Aweil. He said officials from the national and state governments came with him thinking he was there to distribute money. Then, he said he did not have cash to hand out, but that same appearance, Kiir announced a donation of 500 million South Sudanese pounds to community and cultural groups including chiefs, artists, women's groups, and youth associations. The trip was described as private, but a large delegation of politicians, ruling party officials, and security [music] personnel traveled with him through the Bahr el Ghazal region.

[00:00:45]And that's what raised questions over the cost of this trip and who was paying for it. Kiir also used the stop in Aweil to talk about South Sudan's long-delayed elections. He said the country still plans to hold general elections in December 2026, this year when the current transitional period under the peace agreement is supposed [music] to end. He also told supporters he would return to Aweil to campaign and said other candidates would also be allowed to contest the presidency. But that promise comes at a very tense moment.

[00:01:17]South Sudan has never held a national election since independence in 2011, as you guys all know. The vote has been delayed so many times. The country is still dealing with deep political mistrust, worsening hunger, and the fallout from years years of civil war.

[00:01:33]Kiir also urged people to preserve peace and called for more farming during the rainy season to address food shortages.

[00:01:40]After the comments about the cash handouts drew attention, Kiir's office then pushed back. The presidency denied that ministers or government officials even traveled with him expecting personal rewards. It said officials accompanied the president as part of standard protocol and to carry out government duties, but the president's own comments put a huge spotlight back on the bigger issue in South Sudan, the relationship between political loyalty, public money, and power.

[00:02:10]At a time when millions of South Sudanese are struggling with hunger, even the appearance of cash politics is a lightning rod because if the country is headed toward elections, voters are not just watching the campaign, they are watching how political leaders use the state before the campaign even begins.