(RUMBEK, LAKES STATE) – A civil society leader has urged President Salva Kiir to appoint a woman as South Sudan’s next Minister of Finance, arguing that female leadership could bring accountability and restore public confidence in a ministry long dominated by men.
Angelina Adhel Malual, chairperson of the Civil Society Organization Network in Lakes State, said the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning has been plagued by corruption and poor management since independence in 2011. Speaking to local media on Thursday, she highlighted the economic hardships facing ordinary citizens.
“This ministry has been corrupted by men. Let it be given to us women so we can also look into it,” Adhel said. “Women are managers at home and know how to provide even when there is little. We care for our people to eat.”
She cited months of salary arrears, shortages of cash in banks, and the sharp fall of the South Sudanese pound (currently trading at SSP 7,100 per $1) as factors that have left families struggling to afford basic needs. “People have gone six to ten months without salaries. Families are breaking apart, people are going mad, and children have dropped out of school,” she added.
Adhel called on the government to “try women” in senior financial positions, saying capable female administrators already exist in the public sector. She argued that women’s experience managing households equips them with discipline, empathy, and care needed to manage national finances responsibly.
President Kiir recently reshuffled the Finance Ministry, reappointing Bak Barnaba Chol after dismissing Athian Diing Athian. The move followed widespread criticism over delayed salaries, cash shortages, and rising food prices. Chol has pledged to restore fiscal discipline, stabilise the exchange rate, ensure regular salary payments, strengthen revenue collection, and audit government spending.
South Sudan remains heavily dependent on oil, which accounts for more than 90% of government revenue, leaving the country vulnerable to external shocks, inflation, and fiscal instability. Civil servants, soldiers, and public sector employees have endured extended periods without pay, while households struggle with soaring commodity prices.
Adhel urged the government to provide space for women in decision making roles and to restore confidence in financial institutions. “If men are so corrupt, then let us also try women. There are capable women who can manage the Ministry of Finance with honesty and transparency,” she said. She also encouraged citizens to speak out and demand accountability.