JUBA — South Sudan President Salva Kiir Mayardit has appointed his 36-year-old son, Major General Atem Salva Kiir, as commander of the country’s elite Presidential Guard, known as the Tiger Division.
The appointment, reported by Radio Tamazuj on September 9, places Atem Kiir in charge of the military unit responsible for protecting the president and other senior government officials.
The appointment has drawn attention because of the role of members of President Kiir’s family in government positions. South Sudanese media have reported speculation about the potential political role of Kiir’s family in the country’s leadership.
President Kiir is the commander-in-chief of the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces and the supreme commander of the country’s regular forces, according to the Office of the President.
Atem Kiir’s appointment is not the first time President Kiir has appointed a family member to a senior state position.
In 2021, his son Thiik Salva Kiir Mayardit was appointed Deputy Executive Director in the Office of the President. South Sudan Broadcasting Corporation reported at the time that Thiik subsequently took up the position.
The EastAfrican reported in 2025 that Thiik had been appointed Deputy Executive Director in the Office of the President, describing the appointment as part of a broader pattern of President Kiir involving family members in state affairs.
Atem Kiir’s elevation comes as South Sudan continues to navigate political and security challenges following years of conflict and the implementation of a fragile peace agreement.
The Tiger Division is one of the country’s key security formations and its commander holds a strategically important position because of the unit’s responsibility for presidential security.
