In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Michael questioned why Kiir has never delegated Machar to represent the country abroad. He said that Machar has only been seen welcoming and seeing off the president when returning or departing the country.
“President Kiir has delegated his other four Vice Presidents to represent him in regional and international meetings or summits except his First Vice President,” the exiled activist said.
“Since the establishment of RTGoNU, all the Vice Presidents have represented him in so many occasions. Others use the opportunity to seek medical checkups and even H.E Hussein and H.E Nyandeng got their one-time life opportunity or experience to address the UN General Assembly representing President Kiir.
“However, there’s that one responsibility that President Kiir will not delegate anyone to perform except his First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar. That’s to see him off or receive the President at the Juba International Airport since 2020,” he added.
Michael said that Machar’s constitutional rights as a first vice president are being attacked and that he is being kept in captivity by the president in Juba.
“I see Dr. Riek Machar always smiling whenever at the airport, but I don’t think it is a genuine smile. When’ll people line up at the Airport to welcome Dr. Riek Machar back to the Country from performing State duties?” he asked.
“It is not easy to be in Dr. Riek Machar shoe! His Constitutional rights and freedoms aren’t guaranteed. Some of you still think they’re serious with the Peace Agreement implementation when the whole First Vice President is kept in captivity,” he added.
Machar, the leader of the main armed opposition Sudan People’s Liberation Movement in Opposition (SPLM-IO), signed the revitalized peace deal with Kiir in September 2018 and returned to Juba to form the unity government with him in February 2020.
He has not left Juba since then. Machar’s wife Angelina Teny, a senior member of the SPLM-IO and then minister of defense, told the BBC in March 2020 that her husband ‘is like a prisoner’ because he has not been allowed to move or even visit constituency.
The opposition leader is a potential candidate in the would-be 2024 elections, though his party – which has focused on rhetoric about implementation of the revitalized peace agreement – has not yet officially nominated him.
Kiir was nominated by the SPLM (IG) in December last year and earlier last month kicked off his campaign for what would be South Sudan’s first-ever elections with a huge rally in Western Bahr el Ghazal state’s capital Wau where he promised elections by December 2024.
He is (Dr. Riek Machar) somehow compromise his reputation by coming to Juba and be guarded by his opponent and he is surely knowing his ambition to replace Kiir as President in the future elections, what treatment do he expect from the main rival when you are under his mercy.
Riek violated the agreement by coming to Juba before security arrangement which he think is a good step but it favor his rival as it happened already.
You what my friend Wani, the issue right now is not the matter on who to be delegated but it is on how to rescue the population from severe hunger.
Yes I have to agree on the point that I have not seen Machar being delegated to represent his home country outside. But what I need from here man, is for Machar himself to complain and put it in writing that my people am not allowed to visit outside countries and from there we can observe thst Machar in fact is detained like Hon. Kuel Aguer who is not also allowed to travel abroad.
My opinion is that South Africa had knowledge on what is detaining Machar even though is running his duties as the first Vice president. I think thst detention has link with international laws and may be majority believes that Machar is the main causer of every problem in South Sudan. The Trioks countries have not been emphasizing on whether Machar is arrested or not, why I put thst statement in concern to Trioka, it is because they are the main eye to South Sudan, and besides, they are Machar back up.
As I speak to you here, both Machar and Salva Kiir are enjoying South Sudan, and for us in our activism here outside South Sudan, they don` t care of what we are advocating in this online electronic media platform. Since they are cooperating and enjoying their own life, what we shall do as outside their system, we needs to decampaign both of them, such that they don`t come back in the upcoming election of 2024 as stated by supreme law of the land.
South Sudan as the country, needs an inclusive peace and national security of the country, at which I see it as something needed by everyone to advocates for total peace in the country. People like Thomas Cirilio, Pagan Amum and Gen. Making have accepts peace for the seek of their own people South Sudanese whom have suffered during liberation period up to now.
It is not a time to encourage war but encouraged peace such that our people developed and enjoy the fruits of this country.
The commentator is an independent Journalist and associates Lawyer, residing outside South Sudan.
On the aforementioned debate being put forth by Activist, Wani Michael, so it seems that we the citizens accused the RTGONU for nothing, because the immediate or concerned person has never been raise or complained for his ongoing confinement or detained in Juba by his political counterpart, to me this is something unusual once we have come to inform the world that our Leader has now been in detention.
Furthermore, I have been monitoring this issue since he went to Juba that we all though that his being there is to implemented the signed peace with his political arch rival, and for there to be the chance to the peoples of South Sudan enjoy the fruit of peace in the young nation.
mr. micheal our president has a right and obligation to delegate who ever he wish to in the presidency and that should not be the problem.what you need to do is to persuade him (machar)to except the peace agreement with his political with and to works for the development of our nation.DR machar is doing his business as a first vice president in south sudan.dr macher is not under house arrest ,then he would has raised it to the international community.
this issue of Dr machar being kept in captivity is something that could not surprised us when riek himself accepted to go to juba before there is a proper security arrangements being put in place that could permit him his freedom of movement to to any place.
it has also sparked the indelible division within the party leading to the break away of many factions because he was tried to wait in his SPLM Io controlled areas till after when security arrangements are guaranteed which he rejected it and told those who don’t want him to go to juba to leave him alone.
this could prevented Dr machar to remain silent because he don’t want to prove wrong those who corrected him before he desperately went for what he can’t manage to change as expected.
let him keep accompanying and receiving his excellency the president.
this issue of Dr machar being kept in captivity is something that could not surprised us when riek himself accepted to go to juba before there is a proper security arrangements being put in place that could permit him his freedom of movement to to any place.
it has also sparked the indelible division within the party leading to the break away of many factions because he was tried to wait in his SPLM Io controlled areas till after when security arrangements are guaranteed which he rejected it and told those who don’t want him to go to juba to leave him alone.
this could prevented Dr machar to remain silent because he don’t want to prove wrong those who corrected him before he desperately went for what he can’t manage to change as expected.
let him keep accompanying and receiving his excellency the president.
this issue of Dr machar being kept in captivity is something that could not surprised us when riek himself accepted to go to juba before there is a proper security arrangements being put in place that could permit him his freedom of movement to to any place.
it has also sparked the indelible division within the party leading to the break away of many factions because he was tried to wait in his SPLM Io controlled areas till after when security arrangements are guaranteed which he rejected it and told those who don’t want him to go to juba to leave him alone.
this could prevented Dr machar to remain silent because he don’t want to prove wrong those who corrected him before he desperately went for what he can’t manage to change as expected.
let him keep accompanying and receiving his excellency the president.
The issue now is too complicated due to lack of political will among Machar and kiir so that its just a matter of time things will be end up here and there.
Michael you are right by the way in what had been taken place in Juba, kiir is not for peace whether the election we talks about will not be in place i thinks.