Africa-Press – South-Sudan. A civil society activist’s claim that government ministries, including the Ministry of Peace Building, face eviction over unpaid rent has been denied as “unfounded” by Undersecretary Pia Philip Michael.
Ter Manyang Gatwech, a human rights defender, says he received credible reports that the Ministry of Peacebuilding was forcibly closed by its landlord around August 26, 2025, after failing to pay rent for three years.
“As a human rights activist, I call upon the Ministry of Finance and Planning to urgently pay our outstanding rental fees for key ministries, warning that failure to do so is undermining the government functionality and public service delivery and the national development effort,” he said.
He says the ministry’s monthly rent is reportedly $25,000, amounting to $900,000 per year, and approximately $1.5 million in total arrears.
“According to the credible source I received, the Ministry of Peace Billing was forcibly closed by its landlord on August 26 after failing to pay a rental for three consecutive years. The monthly rent for the ministry is reported to be as high as $25,000, which amounts to $900,000 per year, approximately $1.5 million in total areas,” he said.
Gatwech warns that such evictions affect government operations and undermine public service delivery.
Gatwech says the situation shows poor financial planning and a lack of investment in permanent government infrastructure.
He also revealed that the Ministry of East African Community Affairs and two offices of the Vice Presidents are facing similar rental issues, risking disruption of their operations.
“I also receive another credible information that the Ministry of East African Community Affairs and the two vice president’s offices are also facing similar rental challenges, putting their operation at risk,” he said.
“As a human rights activist, I am deeply concerned about the government’s inability to safeguard the welfare of its employees and ensure that the continued functioning of its institutions,” he added.
However, when contacted by Eye Radio, Undersecretary Pia Philip Michael from the Ministry of Peacebuilding dismissed the report.
He said the landlord had been paid for four years, and the outstanding balance was less than $200.
He explained that the closure was for renovation due to damage caused by a shooting incident in November last year.
“There is some money that has not been paid, but it does not even get into that because they have been paid for four years. This is the fifth year. There is some money that we were supposed to be paid, which does not even reach to I think a hundred thousand or 200, but that’s not the thing,” he said.
Michael urged the public to avoid spreading misinformation and to verify reports with credible sources.
“I don’t know where they got their version of the information from, but it is closed because, as everybody knows, in November last year, there was an accident near there and part of the building got some damage,” he said.
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