13/09/2025
Tune In: Statesman Dr. Deng Bol Aruai Bol Writes Open Letter to Hon. Adut Salva Kiir Mayardit, Senior Presidential Envoy on Special Programs
Hon. Adut,
I write to you as a political leader and statesman who believes South Sudan has reached the edge of collapse. Since your appointment as Senior Presidential Envoy on Special Programs, people have not focused on the title itself but on the fact that you are the President’s daughter, one of the very few with his confidence. That makes your position unique and your influence significant.
You have moved around meeting people and institutions. Some believe you stepped into this role to protect your father from those who mislead him and use him to loot and destroy the country. Others see you as someone who could help bring peace and unity. Unfortunately, there are also those who think you cannot succeed where your father has failed, or who believe you are only coming in to finish the destruction or carry away the little that is left. Yet the people of South Sudan are forgiving by nature, and many want to give you a chance—perhaps for the next few months—before they start judging you. But the reality remains clear: your father leads a regime that has brutalized its people, weakened the country, and destroyed its institutions.
South Sudanese people are tired. Many have lost faith in your father’s leadership. They may not be in the streets or speaking loudly, but they have resigned themselves to despair. The statistics alone tell the story:
• 9.4 million people—three-quarters of the population—need humanitarian aid (UNOCHA, 2025).
• 2.3 million remain refugees in neighboring countries, while 2.2 million are displaced internally (UNHCR, 2025).
• Over 80% of citizens live in extreme poverty (World Bank, 2024).
• Civil servants go unpaid for months, while corruption continues unchecked (Transparency International).
This collapse has left our people hopeless, our society broken, and our future uncertain. State institutions have been reduced to rubber stamps. Parliament, the judiciary, and the civil service no longer act independently. Your father alone makes the decisions. This is why many South Sudanese believe that if anyone can influence him, it must be you.
Hon. Adut, South Sudan has also become weak regionally. We are seen as a failed state, the laughing stock of East Africa, unable to defend our interests or protect our borders. Land in Eastern Equatoria and other border regions is being taken in broad daylight, while the government looks away. Instead of defending our sovereignty, foreign mercenaries are hired to terrorize our own citizens. Violence has become both political and communal, destroying the trust and unity that once held our society together.
If you truly intend to help, you must convince your father to change course. Below are 16 areas of influence where your voice could make a difference:
Sixteen Points of Influence
1. Full Implementation of Peace Agreements — all agreements must be carried out honestly, not selectively.
2. Inclusive Political Dialogue — bring every political and armed group into talks; exclusion fuels endless war.
3. End Political and Community Violence — stop the use of armed force against civilians, opponents, and rival communities.
4. End the Use of Foreign Mercenaries — no government should hire outsiders to kill its own people.
5. Rebuild State Institutions — restore independence and credibility to Parliament, the judiciary, and the civil service.
6. Unify the SPLM — heal divisions within the ruling party and return it to its founding vision, or it will continue tearing the country apart.
7. Strengthen Regional Standing — rebuild relations with East African neighbors, so South Sudan is respected instead of mocked.
8. Protect National Borders — defend land in Eastern Equatoria and other border regions from encroachment.
9. Engage the Youth — create opportunities for the majority who are young and excluded from political, social, and economic life.
10. Empower Women — go beyond token appointments and give women genuine authority in decision-making.
11. Fight Corruption — enforce accountability at every level, including close allies, and stop being a shareholder in government revenue agencies.
12. Allow Humanitarian Access — let aid workers reach all communities without restrictions or political interference.
13. Respect Rights and Freedoms — guarantee freedom of expression, press, and civil society participation.
14. Deliver Security and Services — focus on protecting people and providing health, education, and basic infrastructure.
15. Plan a Peaceful Political Transition — prepare your father for an orderly handover of power, whether to you, his deputy, or another credible leader.
16. Address Your Conflict of Interest — disassociate yourself from Crawford and any government contracts. You cannot fight corruption when you are seen as part of it.
Hon. Adut, no leader rules forever. Leadership is not measured by how long one holds power but by what one leaves behind. Convince your father that a peaceful handover and a change in course will give him a lasting legacy and give South Sudan another chance at survival.
You stand in a rare position at a critical time. If you use it to guide him toward peace, reform, and transition, you will be remembered as someone who worked to save the nation.
Respectfully,
