22/08/2025
𝗔𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘆 𝗪𝗲𝗸 𝗔𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘆 𝗗𝗲𝗰𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗲𝘀 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝗰𝘆 “𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗾𝘂𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗚𝗼𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗽” 𝗮𝘀 𝗔𝗱𝘂𝘁 𝗞𝗶𝗶𝗿 𝗟𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗥𝗼𝗹𝗲
The Former Presidential Press Secretary Ateny Wek Ateny has once again stirred South Sudan’s political pot, this time accusing the Office of the President of being “engulfed by some of the best known gossipers on earth.”
Ateny, who served as President Salva Kiir’s spokesperson for nearly a decade, broke his silence in a lengthy opinion piece following the appointment of the President’s daughter, Adut Salva Kiir, as 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗘𝗻𝘃𝗼𝘆 𝗼𝗻 𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺𝘀.
According to Ateny, gossip inside the corridors of State House flows faster than oil in Bentiu pipelines. He claimed the chatter is so intense that even the country’s spy-masters—professionals trained to listen in on secrets—would lose the game to what he called “gossip-to-finish” operatives within the presidency.
“Adut shall not be afraid of being gossiped out—for she is there to be accountable,”
Ateny wrote, suggesting that unlike “desperate men and women masquerading as saviors” in the President’s circle, the First Daughter will not require witchcraft, political gymnastics, or rumor management to keep her seat.
In his characteristic blend of critique and satire, Wek praised Ms. Kiir as “the rightful owner of the cow,” implying that her role is legitimate by birthright and merit, rather than scheming. He urged her to resist manipulation and avoid “the business of oil money,” instead focusing on shaping her father’s legacy as a “proud, honest, and humble man.”
Adut Salva Kiir, the first daughter of President Kiir and First Lady Mary Ayen Mayardit, is stepping into her new role with expectations that she will bring composure and political maturity. Wek described her as “humble, composed, and broadly understanding of the political environment,” stressing that she should use her position to improve the imag