The Office of the President in South Sudan issued a statement on Monday expressing regret over the recent inclusion of a deceased individual in an official appointment related to the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS).

According to the press release, signed by Amb. David Amour Majur, Press Secretary in the Office of the President, the late Steward Sorobo Budia—a signatory to the R-ARCSS and member of the United Democratic Party—was named in a Republican Order dated January 30, 2026, as part of the Leadership Body of Parties Signatory to the R-ARCSS and Stakeholders for Dialogue on Election-Related Matters.

The order had followed extensive consultations with various stakeholders, who submitted lists of names to ensure broad representation.

The statement noted that the Office had depended fully on the accuracy and up-to-date status of the names provided by those stakeholders during the formal consultation process.

It became clear that one stakeholder failed to conduct proper verification, leading to this regrettable administrative error.

Budia, who passed away approximately five years ago (around 2021), had been submitted unknowingly as a living nominee.

The Presidency announced it is now taking corrective measures to amend the appointment order and is awaiting a replacement name from the relevant stakeholder.

The release extended deepest condolences to the family of the deceased and pledged that stronger verification procedures would be put in place going forward to guarantee the highest levels of accuracy in all future stakeholder submissions.

This embarrassing oversight has drawn attention amid South Sudan’s ongoing preparations for elections and implementation of the peace agreement, highlighting challenges in coordination among political parties and signatories.