Dr. Lam decries ‘malicious’ impersonations on social media

KHARTOUM – South Sudan’s prominent opposition leader, Dr. Lam Akol Ajawin, has disowned social media impersonations attributing negative statements to him with the most recent one claiming that the National Democratic Movement leader has called for the removal of President Salva Kiir and his first deputy Dr. Riek Machar Teny.

Since earlier Saturday, social media users have been circulating a piece of writing purporting to be a statement from Dr. Lam calling for the removal of Kiir and Machar, terming their leadership as family business.

“There is no government in South Sudan,” the false statement reads. “What we have is the government of friendship, cousins, husband and wife, In laws and side chicks. The citizens of this nation has suffered enough and they should rise up and calls for the removal of President Kiir and VP Riek.”

However, in a response on Twitter, Dr. Lam who is also the Secretary-General of South Sudan Opposition Alliance (SSOA) denied any association with the piece of writing, calling it a work of those he calls malicious detractors.

“I never said that nor can I ever come that low,” Dr. Lam wrote. “It is the work of some malicious detractors.”

It is not the first time Dr. Lam has been impersonated. At some point this year, a statement was circulated falsely belonging to Dr. Lam arguing with information minister Michael Makuei Lueth on social media over the implementation of the revitalized peace agreement which had been stalled by a number of disagreements between the parties.