The Embassy of the Republic of South Sudan in Nairobi has dismissed reports that its diplomatic mission was shut down over alleged rent arrears, saying the facility remains open and operational despite temporary disruptions to some services.
In a press release dated Thursday, August 13, 2026, the embassy attributed the disruption to a localised power outage caused by a sudden electrical surge, saying technical teams were working to restore normal operations.
The clarification comes a day after reports emerged that the embassy, located in Nairobi’s Kilimani area, had been closed, with claims that South Sudan had fallen several months behind on rent payments.
According to earlier reports, some South Sudanese nationals seeking consular services were unable to access the mission.
Embassy Rejects Rent Arrears Claims
The embassy said social media reports portraying the Mission as having been closed because of unpaid rent were “unverified” and “misleading.”
“The Embassy wishes to clarify that the Mission remains fully open and operational,” the statement said.
The Mission acknowledged, however, that consular and administrative services had experienced disruptions.
“However, consular and administrative services are currently experiencing minor disruptions due to a localized power outage caused by a sudden electrical surge,” the embassy stated.
It added that technical teams were already working to address the problem and expressed confidence that normal electricity supply would be restored shortly.
The clarification broadly aligns with a statement issued by South Sudan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, which also said the Nairobi embassy had not closed and that a temporary technical problem had affected some of its operations.
Reports of Embassy Closure Had Raised Questions
The embassy’s statement followed reports published after visitors reportedly found the mission inaccessible earlier in the week.
Kenyans.co.ke reported on August 12 that the embassy had allegedly been closed on Tuesday, August 11, with an embassy staff member attributing the situation to outstanding rent payments.
The publication reported that the exact amount allegedly owed had not been established.
The reports also drew attention because the Nairobi mission had reportedly experienced a similar rent-related disruption in November 2025 before resuming operations.
Earlier this year, there were also reports that Senior Presidential Envoy for Special Programmes Adut Salva Kiir had paid three months of rent for the mission.
The latest reports therefore generated renewed questions about the financial situation of South Sudan’s diplomatic missions abroad.
However, the South Sudanese government’s latest clarification does not acknowledge rent arrears as the reason for the disruption.
Instead, it maintains that the Nairobi Mission remains operational and attributes the interruption to a technical electricity problem.
Embassy Denies Alleged Political and Financial Contacts
Beyond the closure controversy, the embassy also addressed separate claims concerning its Chargé d’Affaires.
The Mission categorically denied reports suggesting that its Chargé d’Affaires had engaged third-party political groups over the administration or financial operations of the embassy.
“The Mission adheres strictly to established diplomatic protocols and official government procedures,” the embassy said.
It further rejected allegations that financial assistance had been offered to members of the Mission’s diplomatic leadership, describing such claims as “entirely unfounded and false.”
The embassy’s decision to address the claims signals the extent to which the reports had moved beyond a simple question of electricity or access to consular services and into questions surrounding the management of the diplomatic mission.
South Sudanese Diaspora Urged to Rely on Official Information
The Embassy urged South Sudanese nationals living in Kenya, members of the public and media organisations to exercise caution when consuming information circulating on social media.
The Mission specifically advised the public to disregard unverified statements and instead rely on communications issued through the embassy’s recognised official channels.
This is particularly important for South Sudanese nationals who depend on the Nairobi mission for diplomatic and consular assistance, including documentation and other services.
The reported disruption had already raised concerns among people who rely on the embassy, with earlier reports indicating that visitors seeking services had encountered difficulties accessing the premises.
Leadership Change Also Expected at Nairobi Mission
The clarification comes at a time when the South Sudanese diplomatic mission in Nairobi is preparing for a leadership transition.
Newly appointed Ambassador Simon Juach Deng is expected to take up his position in Nairobi in September after bidding farewell to President Salva Kiir in Juba on August 6.
The development adds another layer of attention to the Nairobi mission, which plays an important role in South Sudan’s diplomatic engagement with Kenya and in serving South Sudanese nationals living in the country.
Kenya has historically played an important role in South Sudan’s political history.
South Sudan’s Foreign Affairs Ministry notes that the Comprehensive Peace Agreement that ended Sudan’s long-running civil war was signed in Nairobi in 2005, eventually paving the way for the 2011 referendum and South Sudan’s independence.
The two countries consequently maintain significant political, economic and people-to-people ties, making the functioning of their respective diplomatic missions important to bilateral relations.
Embassy Appeals for Patience
Concluding its statement, the South Sudanese Embassy thanked the public for its patience and understanding as technical teams work to resolve the electricity problem.
The Mission maintained that the interruption was temporary and that normal services would resume once the technical issue was resolved.
For now, the embassy’s official position is clear: it has not been closed over rent arrears, and the disruption affecting some services has been attributed to a sudden electrical surge.
The competing accounts surrounding the Nairobi mission have nevertheless highlighted the importance of timely and official communication, particularly when disruptions affect citizens seeking essential diplomatic and consular services.
The embassy has urged the public to rely on its recognised communication channels as efforts continue to restore full normal operations.
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