President Salva Kiir Mayardit has appointed his daughter, Adut Kiir Mayardit, as Senior Presidential Envoy for Special Programmes, a position previously held by the current Vice President, Dr. Benjamin Bol Mel.
The post has long been considered influential, serving as a bridge between the presidency and key national programmes.
Bol Mel held it before being elevated to Vice President, and now Adut steps in as his successor.
Adut is the firstborn of President Kiir and First Lady Mary Ayen, in a family of seven children. Her earliest education began informally at home, where her father taught her to read time by sketching clock hands in the sand.
She later studied across refugee communities in Ethiopia, including Itang, Panyido, Gambela, and Addis Ababa, before moving to Kenya at the age of 10.
There, she faced steep challenges—unable to speak English or Kiswahili, she relied only on Nuer, Shilluk, Dinka, Anyuak, and Amharic.
In her first school term, she ranked near the bottom of her class, but within a year had risen to the top five.
“I woke up eager to learn, to put on my uniform, and to go to class,” she once recalled.
Her personal journey has shaped her public advocacy. In November 2024, speaking to students at Paneker Secondary School in Yirol, she urged them to value education and avoid early distractions.
“School is very important; it creates a foundation for you… I don’t think a wall makes a school… it’s the way your heart is, what your intentions are,” she said.
Beyond advocacy, Adut has established the Adut Salva Kiir (ASK) Foundation, supporting communities through education and infrastructure projects.
Earlier this year, she donated boreholes to the Military Intelligence School and Bilpam Army General Headquarters in Juba.
Her appointment as Senior Presidential Envoy brings her directly into the political spotlight, extending her role beyond philanthropy and public speaking into national leadership.
However, the appointment has drawn criticism from some political observers and citizens, who argue it reflects the growing concentration of power within the President’s family and risks turning national leadership into a family affair.
For many, it marks the beginning of a broader political journey for the President’s eldest daughter.
