Animu Athiei

Animu Athiei
Born
Afekuru Animu Risasi Amitai

(1983-08-27) 27 August 1983
Juba, Central Equatoria, South Sudan
CitizenshipStateless

Afekuru Animu Risasi Amitai, popularly known as Animu Athiei, is a youth activist whose South Sudanese citizenship was revoked by the state.[1]

Biography

Athiei was born 27 August 1983 in Juba, Central Equatoria, now in South Sudan. Her parents were Muslim Keliko from Morobo County.[1][2][3] Several months after her birth, her family fled to Uganda, where they stayed until returning to South Sudan in 2005 or 2006.[3]

Athiei obtained Ugandan citizenship in May 2009, but following South Sudan's 2011 independence she returned her passport, thus renouncing her citizenship, in March 2012.[3] She obtained South Sudanese citizenship in 2014 with an endorsement from her uncle, as her father had died in 1995.[1][3][a] She renewed her passport in 2017.[6]

Athiei's citizenship was revoked and her passport was confiscated by the South Sudanese government in 2018 without written cause; she was told orally it was because she was a Ugandan citizen.[7] Athiei filed a civil suit through the Juba High Court in 2019, but the immigration authorities did not respond to summons to file a defence[3][8][9] and a hearing was never held.[3] She raised the matter to the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights in 2021, which in August 2024 affirmed her "right to nationality" in South Sudan and ruled her rights had been violated under the African Charter.[7][10] However, the South Sudanese government did not comply with the commission within the allotted 180-day window, leading to condemnations from several human rights organizations, including the Institute for Human Rights and Development in Africa and the Global Movement Against Statelessness.[10][11][12]

On 22 December 2021, the South Sudanese National Security Service arrested Athiei and gave her to the Department of Nationality, Passports and Immigration, claiming she illegally obtained a false diplomatic passport.[2][4][5][13][14] The immigration authorities transported Athiei to the Nimule/Elegu border and attempted to hand her over to the Ugandans on the 26th; however, they refused, as Athiei was not a Ugandan citizen in their records.[2][6][9][15] Athiei was detained in the Juba Northern Division Police Station without charge until 11 January 2022, when she was transferred to Juba Central Prison.[6][16] While in prison pending trial, Athiei became sick due to uterine fibroids and difficulty breathing, among other conditions;[6][16][17] on 31 January she was moved to Juba Teaching Hospital.[15][16] Athiei was released 10 February on US$2500 bail.[17][18][19] Following a February 2026 interview on Channel Africa, multiple diplomats reached out to Athiei, including representatives of the African Union mission and the German ambassador to South Sudan.[20]

Starting October 2016, Animu served as a speechwriter for the office of First Vice President Taban Deng Gai, but was fired in March 2018 without explanation following online posts questioning her citizenship.[3][5][21] She was appointed a member of the Transitional National Legislative Assembly by President Salavar Kiir Mayardit in May 2021, representing Morobo County under the ticket of the umbrella group Other Political Parties (OPP).[2][5][22][23] She was replaced less than two weeks days later after public outcry over her alleged Ugandan citizenship,[1][7][22][24] with the chairman of the Keliko community of Morobo County releasing a statement disowning her.[22][23][25][26] Athiei is also the founder of the Animu Athiei Foundation, an organization primarily promoting youth empowerment.[27][28]

Footnotes

  1. ↑ According to South Sudanese nationality law, a person can be considered a South Sudanese national if their parents or grandparents were born in South Sudan.[4][5]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Ramalapa, Jedi (2026-02-24). "Gendered Citizenship: The State Attempted to Unmake Animu Athiei's Belonging in South Sudan". African Feminism. Retrieved 2026-04-20.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Salih, Zeinab Mohammed (2022-03-04). "'Stateless': The politician disowned by South Sudan and Uganda". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 2026-04-20.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Communication 801/22 - Afekuru Animu Rasasi Amiati (Represented by Institute for Human Rights and Development in Africa) v. South Sudan (merits)". African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights. 2026-04-17. Retrieved 2026-04-20.
  4. 1 2 Hawari, Alhadi (2021-12-29). "South Sudan: Animu's deportation from above, Uganda refuses to take her". Eye Radio. Retrieved 2026-04-20.
  5. 1 2 3 4 "South Sudan's NSS kidnaps ex-lawmaker Animu Athiei – family". Sudans Post. 2021-12-28. Retrieved 2026-04-20.
  6. 1 2 3 4 Kukunda, Judith (2022-02-23). "Woman Seeks Justice After Rejection by Uganda, South Sudan". Uganda Radio Network. Retrieved 2026-04-20.
  7. 1 2 3 "African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights affirms right to nationality for South Sudanese former Member of Parliament in high profile matter". IHRDA. Retrieved 2026-04-20.
  8. ↑ "Ex-South Sudan MP demands citizenship restoration after continental ruling". Radio Tamazuj. 2026-01-07. Retrieved 2026-04-20.
  9. 1 2 "'Dropped Morobo MP Afekuru arrested for holding diplomatic passport, nationality illegally'-Police". Radio Tamazuj. 2021-12-29. Retrieved 2026-04-21.
  10. 1 2 "Upholding the African Charter: Why South Sudan Must Implement the African Commission's Decision on Ms. Animu A. Risasi". Institute on Statelessness and Inclusion. 2026-02-18. Retrieved 2026-04-21.
  11. ↑ Mbuthia, Bashir (2026-02-18). "Rights groups demand South Sudan restore ex-MP Animu Risasi's citizenship after missed deadline". The Eastleigh Voice News. Retrieved 2026-04-21.
  12. ↑ Anami, Luke (2026-01-24). "'Stateless' former MP's big fight for nationality". The EastAfrican. Retrieved 2026-04-21.
  13. ↑ "South Sudan journalists remain at risk". Civicus Monitor. 2022-03-13. Retrieved 2026-04-20.
  14. ↑ Chang, Koang (2022-01-13). "Animu at Juba main prison, pending trial – Immigration". Eye Radio. Retrieved 2026-04-21.
  15. 1 2 "Activist Animu Athiei hospitalized after health deterioration in prison". Sudans Post. 2022-02-01. Retrieved 2026-04-20.
  16. 1 2 3 Ninrew, Chany (2022-02-02). "Animu's health deteriorates, admitted at Juba teaching hospital". Eye Radio. Retrieved 2026-04-20.
  17. 1 2 "Activist Animu released on $2500 bond". Sudans Post. 2022-02-21. Retrieved 2026-04-20.
  18. ↑ "Youth activist Animu Afekuru released on bail". Radio Tamazuj. 2022-02-21. Retrieved 2026-04-21.
  19. ↑ Sultan, Richard (2022-02-21). "Controversial activist Animu Athiei finally out on bail". Talk of Juba. Retrieved 2026-04-21.
  20. ↑ "South Sudan: How one interview sparked diplomatic engagement". Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom Africa. 2026-03-23. Retrieved 2026-04-21.
  21. ↑ Wël, PaanLuel (2018-03-26). "Vowing to public pressure, the office of the 1st VP fires Ms Animu, a Ugandan national". PaanLuel Wël Media Ltd - South Sudan. Retrieved 2026-04-20.
  22. 1 2 3 Richard, Jale (2021-05-22). "MP Animu's appointment revoked over 'nationality issues'". Eye Radio. Retrieved 2026-04-20.
  23. 1 2 "Kiir revokes appointment of MP Afekeru over 'nationality issue'". Radio Tamazuj. 2021-05-22. Retrieved 2026-04-20.
  24. ↑ Martin, Daniel Friday (2021-05-21). "SSudan Community Slams Appointed Lawmaker". Voice of America. Retrieved 2026-04-21.
  25. ↑ "Kiir revokes appointment of Ugandan lady into parliament". Sudans Post. 2021-05-21. Retrieved 2026-04-21.
  26. ↑ "South Sudan minister disowns Afekuru Animu". Sudans Post. 2021-05-22. Retrieved 2026-04-21.
  27. ↑ Mark, Charles K (2024-01-15). "Youth encouraged to embrace leadership". One Citizen Daily Newspaper. Retrieved 2026-04-21.
  28. ↑ "South Sudan Targets Youth Empowerment through Local Content Initiatives". Energy Capital & Power. 2023-06-16. Archived from the original on 2025-04-19. Retrieved 2026-04-21.
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