In a move that has sparked criticism, hundreds of members of South Sudan's National Legislative Assembly are set to receive cars as a gift for voting in favor of an electoral law that allows President Salva Kiir to concentrate power in his hands. The law, which was approved by the president on Monday, has been met with skepticism by residents of a country that has experienced a bloody civil war and continues to grapple with violence.
The electoral law provides for the vice presidents to be relieved of their duties, a measure that does not appear likely to reassure the residents of a country that has been plagued by corruption and violence. According to Transparency International, South Sudan is considered the most corrupt country in the world and also the least developed, with a clear link between these two phenomena.
Oliver Mori, a spokesman for the National Assembly, told reporters after the vote that President Kiir had given the green light for the purchase of cars for MPs. The most senior officials will receive V6 cars, while the others will receive five-door sedans, in the form of a loan. The president will decide in the future whether these cars are part of the MPs' benefits or remuneration or whether they will have to pay them back.
The National Assembly has 650 members, all appointed by President Salva Kiir. The country's population is approximately 12.5 million. Many MPs are said to be very poor, with some earning as little as $50 a month. Wani Michael, a former South Sudanese youth leader now in exile, described the move as corruption, saying there was a negotiation and the president promised them cars in exchange for their votes.
This is not the first time MPs have received loans to buy cars. In 2018, individual loans of $40,000 were provided for the same purpose. The move has sparked criticism, especially given the country's dire economic situation and the misappropriation of billions of dollars in oil revenues by the political elite.
The South Sudan Human Rights Commission, acting on behalf of the UN Human Rights Council, has denounced the predatory political elite that has misappropriated billions of dollars in the country's oil revenues. In September 2025, the Commission noted that only 0.7% of the state budget was allocated to healthcare in 2023-24, an amount equal to President Salva Kiir's medical expenses.
The US diplomacy has said it will use all available tools, including sanctions, to end impunity in South Sudan. The move comes amid renewed clashes between supporters of President Kiir and those of Riek Machar, who was arrested in March 2025 and placed under house arrest. The country continues to grapple with violence and corruption, with little hope of improvement in the near future.
Key points
- President Salva Kiir's government has been accused of corruption and misappropriation of oil revenues.
- The electoral law allows the president to concentrate power in his hands until the results of the presidential and parliamentary elections in December are announced.
- Hundreds of MPs will receive cars as a gift for voting in favor of the electoral law.
