Ex-Machar spokesman castigated for quitting SPLM-IO ‘several times’  

JUBA – Former deputy spokesman of South Sudan’s First Vice President and leader of the main armed opposition group Dr. Riek Machar Teny has been criticized and ridiculed on social media for defection several times from the SPLM-IO.

Nyarji Roman had defected to South Sudan government under President Salva Kiir Mayardit back in 2017 following the collapse of the revitalized peace after the infamous July 2016 fighting at the presidential palace.

In March that year, Nyarji castigated the SPLA-IO top leadership’s conduct leading to death of rebel soldiers during Machar’s flight to the Democratic Republic of Congo in the aftermath of the 2016 fighting.

“We were not taken seriously when some of us tried to warn you of possible attack by the government on July 4. You (Machar) ignored the warning and as a result, many of our soldiers ended up losing their lives,” he said in a resignation letter dated March 11, 2017.

Earlier, Nyarji resigned both in Addis Ababa and also in Juba, but would only return to the main armed opposition group position where he remained not replaced.

Last week, Nyarji wrote a statement on his Facebook timeline announcing that he has now defected for the fourth time, to the government of President Salva Kiir Mayardit following the infamous Kitgwang Declaration criticizing Machar for causing disunity in the opposition rank and file.

“I would like to inform the public that as today the August 12, 2021 marks my last day as a member of the Sudan people liberation Movement in the opposition SPLM IO under the leadership of Dr. Riek Machar as well as a member of the National Liberation Council after completing my duties towards my country and my people,” Nyarji said in a statement last week.

“With this I would like to announce my return to the ranks of my colleagues in the government under the leadership of H.E President Salva Kiir Mayardit,” he added.

However, social media users dived in and castigated him for defecting several times from the group with some questioning if he was even good in his mind for defecting from a group that he had left some times back.

“South Sudan is a country of wonders,” one social media user wrote in the comment section of Nyarji’s statement, “yesterday in your statement, you were supporting the Magenis declaration as senior member of [SPLM/A-IO] and now to the SPLM government under President Kiir. Please you guys are confusing our innocent citizens.”

Another user asked: “How many times you go and come Cde Nyarji? I was not even aware of your presence in SPLM/A-IO. Anyway, wishing [you] the best of luck. Let me hope that you clear all your ways toward the Salva Kiir room.”

Anther user said: “Nyarji u defect two times in a year. If you were an employee, you would have been rejected due to instability. In human resource management, when you see an employee that’s quitting a job twice a year, make sure such a person has a problem and can’t be employed.”