By Matik Kueth
South Sudan’s government on Thursday rubbished a report released by The Sentry, a US-based investigation organization, accusing President Kiir and his family of engaging in corruption-related activities.
The latest Sentry report released on November 19th, 2024, accused Kiir’s family members of controlling over 126 companies and wielding undue influence over the business landscape in South Sudan.
In a statement issued by the president’s office, Lily Adhieu, the press secretary, vehemently denied the claim, terming it “baseless and malicious allegations.”
She said the accusations are baseless, devoid of reliable proof, and obviously intended to damage the First Family’s image and foment division among South Sudanese citizens.
Hon. Lily Adhieu, Press Secretary of the President [Photo: Courtesy]
Adhieu stated that it is important to stress that the Republic of South Sudan’s Constitution does not forbid any citizen, including First Family members, from conducting lawful business.
“Like any other citizens, they are also entitled to invest, create employment opportunities, and contribute to the economic development of this country. Furthermore, the businesses and investments attributed to the First Family are not a recent phenomenon. Many of the companies mentioned by The Sentry date back as far as 2007, long before the independence of the Republic of Republic of South Sudan (RSS)South Sudan. It is misleading to portray these entities as a product of undue influence or exploitation of public office,” she acclaimed.
The Sentry, she noted, did not identify specific criminal acts, misused monies, or any projects from which the First Family has allegedly benefited unfairly. The Sentry also failed to give specific proof to support its allegations.
“Additionally, several of the companies mentioned in the report are no longer active, for example, Gemtel telecom company linked to the First Lady has long been closed down, a fact conveniently ignored by The Sentry to bolster its narrative. The exaggerated claims about the extent of influence and control wielded by these companies are not only misleading but also an affront to the many hardworking South Sudanese who operate businesses with integrity,” she explained.
The Sentry has released a massive trove of data exposing the control by the family of President Salva Kiir over a secret business empire titled “Kiirdom: The Sprawling Corporate Kingdom of South Sudan’s First Family,” which reveals the family of President Salva Kiir controlling clandestine economic empire. explains in detail how the first family acquired assets privately in all of South Sudan’s main economic sectors, including mining, petroleum, banking, trade, aviation, logistics, and private security.
The findings from multiple original investigations by The Sentry are combined with comprehensive data from the South Sudan Ministry of Justice in the report that was made public on The Sentry’s new interactive Atlas platform, “Kiirdom.”
John Prendergast, Co-Founder of The Sentry, said: “Since independence, rather than work toward a secure and prosperous future, the Kiir regime has orchestrated destabilization, repression, violent conflict, and mass starvation while consolidating a lucrative corporate empire. The first family has deployed an array of circumvention techniques to veil from the public their businesses and assets.”
However, Kiir’s family’s corporate network comprises prominent politicians and businesspeople from the region, as well as members of the National Security Service and military, both of which have committed egregious human rights abuses, according to The Sentry’s mapping of 126 companies.
Despite this, the president’s office urges The Sentry to reveal its financial sources and the reasons behind its sponsors, which blatantly appear to be motivated by political meddling rather than a sincere interest in accountability or human rights.
The report pointed out that, “Several companies that included Kiir family members in their lists of shareholders received public contracts or letters of credit, which are essentially guarantees from a bank to a seller that they’ll be paid by the buyer. The Sentry, in examining these companies, identified a number of red flags for trade-based money laundering.”
It alleged that the children and grandchildren of Kiir and his brother-in-law, Gregory Vasili, served as founding shareholders for a number of companies when they were still minors.
The Sentry also found 70 businesses that had foreign investors, including shares held by Kiir’s family.
“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. It is also intended to support public scrutiny and compliance processes meant to mitigate against corruption risks, thereby ensuring that Kiir-connected companies and family members face enhanced due diligence commensurate with their risk profiles,” it emphasized.