Juba, South Sudan | March 21 2026 South Sudan’s Vice President Gen. Taban Deng Gai has revealed that he has not met President Salva Kiir for nearly a year, blaming obstruction by officials within the Office of the President.
Speaking during funeral prayers for victims of the Abiemnom massacre, Taban said his last meeting with the president was in May last year, adding that repeated attempts to secure another meeting have failed. He also disclosed that his request to travel to Unity State since Christmas has not been approved, raising concerns over internal coordination within the presidency.
Taban further alleged that letters addressed to the president are sometimes blocked, and criticized authorities for failing to act despite prior intelligence about the deadly Abiemnom attack that killed over 200 people. He called for a full investigation, stressing the killings should be treated as a criminal matter, not tribal conflict.
Taban said he and other senior officials plan to meet the president upon his return from South Africa to address rising violence and governance challenges.
