South Sudan Embassy in Nairobi Closed Over Four Months of Unpaid Rent
The embassy, located in Nairobi’s Kilimani neighbourhood, was closed on Tuesday, August 11, according to an embassy staff member who spoke to Radio Tamazuj.
Kenyans.co.ke has not established the exact amount owed in rent by the time of publishing.
According to Radio Tamazuj, one of the staff members said the mission would remain closed until the South Sudanese government intervenes and addresses the outstanding payments.
Long-distance trucks along the Malaba-Bungoma Highway
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The closure has already affected South Sudanese seeking services at the embassy. One citizen who visited the mission to process travel documents said he was turned away by security guards after finding the premises closed.
“I was not given a clear explanation for the closure. The security personnel only told me that the embassy had been shut the previous day,” the visitor said.
The latest development means South Sudanese citizens in Kenya could face difficulties accessing consular services, including travel documents and other assistance normally provided by the diplomatic mission.
Previously, the Nairobi mission faced a similar issue in November 2025, when the embassy was reportedly closed due to rent arrears before resuming operations.
Earlier this year, reports indicated that Senior Presidential Envoy for Special Programmes Adut Salva Kiir paid three months of rent for the embassy. The latest closure, however, suggests that the financial challenges may have persisted.
South Sudanese civil society leader Edmund Yakani described the closure as damaging to the country’s image and diplomatic interests, urging the government to prioritise financing for its foreign missions.
The closure also comes at a time when South Sudan is preparing for a change of leadership at its Nairobi mission.
Newly appointed Ambassador Simon Juach Deng bid farewell to President Salva Kiir in Juba on August 6 and is expected to take up his post in Nairobi in September.
Reports indicated that South Sudan has been grappling with severe fiscal and cash-flow challenges, with its economy heavily dependent on oil revenues.
The financial pressures have affected government operations and the ability to meet expenses at some of its overseas missions.