By Deng Ghai Deng
Office of President Salva Kiir has rejected recent allegations made by The Sentry, a United States of America-based organization, accusing the President, first family and their relatives of controlling over 126 companies and exerting undue influence over South Sudan’s business environment.
In a statement released on Thursday, Press Secretary Lily Adhieu Martin Manyiel termed the accusations “baseless” and “malicious,” asserting that they are part of a broader smear campaign designed to destabilize the country.
“The allegations in the report are unfounded and lack credible evidence. These claims are nothing more than a deliberate attempt to tarnish the reputation of the First Family and sow discord among the South Sudanese people,” said Adhieu.
This is not the first time that The Sentry has targeted the First Family, particularly President Kiir and his children, according to the Press Secretary.
Adhieu pointed out that the organization, which is funded by undisclosed sponsors with questionable motives, has a history of publishing reports with the apparent aim of undermining the country’s leadership.
She emphasized that such reports are often presented as investigative findings but are, in reality, witch-hunts designed to destabilize the nation.
The Press Secretary further stressed that the South Sudanese Constitution allows all citizens, including members of the First Family, to engage in legitimate business activities.
“Like any other citizen, the First Family has the right to invest, create employment, and contribute to the economic development of this country,” Adhieu remarked, denouncing any suggestion to the contrary as discriminatory and baseless.
She also highlighted that many of the businesses mentioned in the report had existed long before the independence of South Sudan in 2011, with some dating back to as far as 2007.
The report, however, inaccurately portrays these investments as products of undue influence or corruption. Furthermore, The Sentry fails to provide concrete evidence of any illegal activity or misappropriation of public funds, rendering its claims speculative and unconvincing, she said.
Adhieu pointed out several factual inaccuracies in the report, such as its claim that the First Family controls an extensive business empire, which she described as exaggerated.
She specifically noted that some companies mentioned, such as Gemtel Telecom, linked to the First Lady, have already ceased operations, a detail conveniently omitted by The Sentry to enhance its narrative.
The Office of the Press Secretary called on media outlets, civil society organizations, and international actors to approach issues related to South Sudan with fairness and responsibility, cautioning against unsubstantiated reports that harm the country’s peace and unity.
Finally, the statement urged The Sentry to disclose its sources of funding and clarify the motivations behind its reports, which, according to the Press Secretary, appear to be rooted in political interference rather than genuine concerns for accountability or human rights.
“President Salva Kiir remains committed to transparency, development, and the well-being of all South Sudanese citizens. Baseless allegations will not deter his resolve to serve the people and uphold the principles of fairness, equality, and justice,” Adhieu concluded.
The Sentry Report
The Sentry Report released on Monday, titled “Kiirdom: The Sprawling Corporate Kingdom of South Sudan’s First Family,” provides a dive into the first family’s private capture of assets across major national economic sectors including petroleum, mining, banking, trade, aviation, logistics, and private security.
The report alleges that since independence, the Kiir regime has orchestrated destabilization, repression, violent conflict, and mass starvation while consolidating a lucrative corporate empire.
“The Sentry’s new open-data platform, Atlas, illuminates the business empires, facilitators, and financing mechanisms of global networks of kleptocrats, conflict financiers, and war profiteers. Atlas functions as a deep dive into the nuts and bolts of a kleptocracy, aiming to facilitate public scrutiny, transparency, and accountability for these elites and their enablers,” said Michelle Kendler-Kretsch, Investigations Manager for The Sentry.
“By providing an interactive visualization tool, easy-to-use search, expert analysis, and detailed profiles of individuals and entities, Atlas empowers journalists, policymakers, financial institutions, and the public to hold those responsible for large-scale violence and grand corruption accountable. Atlas projects are designed to be dynamic, enabling us to nimbly combat corruption through regular updates,” the statement added.
The Sentryin its report identified seven of President Salva Kiir’s children as shareholders of South Sudanese companies, along with his wife, Mary Ayen Mayardit, and nieces and nephews. Two of Kiir’s grandchildren also own companies, including some that were passed down from their parents.
Based on the 126 companies mapped by The Sentry, the corporate network of Kiir’s family includes high-profile businesspeople and politicians from around the region, as well as members of the military and National Security Service, both of which have engaged in gross human rights violations.
The Sentry identified 70 companies with foreign shareholders in which members of the Kiir’s family also held shares.
Foreigners can own businesses in South Sudan, but the 2012 Companies Act mandates that South Sudanese nationals hold at least 31 percent of the shares.
While these requirements can support local South Sudanese economic interests, they can also create an advantage for companies with connections to the political elite, it added.
“The ‘Kiirdom’ project is designed to enable the South Sudanese people to know what kind of Business Empire Kiir has built for himself and his family,” The Sentry statement said.