State-owned oil firm backs Kiir campaign, violating election rules

The head of South Sudan’s state-owned oil company has called on employees to support President Salva Kiir and his ruling Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) in December’s election, despite rules requiring state institutions to remain politically neutral.

Emmanuel Athiei Ayual, managing director of Nile Petroleum Corporation (Nilepet), made the remarks on Wednesday while inspecting fuel depots and stations in the capital, Juba.

“We need the SPLM party to win at the moment,” Ayual said.

“The SPLM must be supported by all means, whether it is Nile Petroleum Corporation or any other institution that is relevant to the winning, to the government, and to our president.”

He also urged Nilepet employees to campaign for Kiir.

“I request all our staff that we must rally behind the president and his leadership so that he wins this upcoming election,” he said.

The remarks came a day after Kiir dissolved the transitional government and appointed a caretaker administration ahead of elections scheduled for 22 December.

A presidential decree issued after the dissolution requires officials serving under the caretaker administration to remain politically impartial. It prohibits them from using public office, public resources or government institutions to promote or disadvantage any political party, candidate or electoral contestant.

South Sudan’s electoral rules also prohibit the use of state resources for campaigning.

Section 8.1 of the National Elections Commission’s Regulation No. 3 of 2024 on Election Campaigns bars political parties and candidates from using state or administrative resources, human resources or public materials for campaigning, except for public media. The regulation says the provision is based on Section 93 of the National Elections Act 2012, as amended.

Ayual’s call for Nilepet and its employees to support the SPLM therefore appears to conflict with the restrictions on the use of state institutions and resources for political campaigning.

Nilepet is South Sudan’s state-owned national oil and gas company and represents the government’s commercial interests in the petroleum sector.

Ayual also directly linked the company’s fuel operations to preparations for the election.

“As Nile Petroleum Corporation, we are the commercial wing of the government, to the Ministry of Petroleum. And as mandated by the government, we have to procure enough fuel and we have to stock it so that we can support the elections,” he said.

The comments raise questions about the government’s ability to enforce its political neutrality requirements during the election campaign, particularly when the head of a state-owned company is publicly calling on its employees to support the governing party and linking the company’s resources to the elections.

The government has not said whether Ayual’s remarks breach the presidential decree or whether any action will be taken against him.

Kiir dissolved the transitional government on Tuesday, removing the vice-presidents, ministers and national legislature and replacing them with a caretaker administration ahead of the December election.

The dissolution followed amendments to the National Elections Act, which paved the way for the vote and allow Kiir to remain in office until an elected president is sworn in.

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