Machar killed 10,000 people in 1991 and Dr. Garang won’t be surprised on him if he returns today – Kiir

JUBA – South Sudan President Salva Kiir Mayardit has claimed without evidence that his first deputy and main armed opposition leader Dr. Riek Machar Teny had killed 10,000 people during the SPLM/SPLA 1991 split and that Dr. John Garang won’t be surprised about Machar’s actions if he returns today.

The South Sudanese head of state made the remarks in a groundbreaking interview he did with Kenyan journalist Jeff Koinange and aired on Wednesday evening just days before South Sudan, the world’s youngest country, marks its 10^th birthday since gaining independence from neighboring Sudan in 2011.

“Riek [Machar] started fighting in front of John Garang. It was John that he attacked first and he has killed more than 10 thousand people in the constituency of John Garang in one day, in 1991 [when] we were still in the bush that he thought of a military coup,” Kiir who said during the interview with Jeff.

“John Garang was the leader of the SPLM. So, if he comes today, he will not be surprised why his party is fighting itself. He should not be surprised,” he said. When asked if Dr. John Garang will be disappointed, Kiir said without hesitation: “Of course he will be disappointed because he was disappointed when he was alive. He will be disappointed more and more.”

Kiir went on to accuse Machar of responsibility including for the 2013 outbreak of war and the infamous 2016 presidency fighting. He said Machar is a man lacking patience and revealed that if he had waited for a while, he would have handed over to him the leadership of the world’s youngest country.

“I am a very humble man, if he would have waited for a while, I would have called him and tell him to take over,” he said. “I have many regrets. Now Like for example in 2016, what was the cause of that fight which you witnessed? There was no reason for that battle but because somebody wants to sit in the office of the president of South Sudan, by force.”

“It was the same thing in 2013. In 2013, we were left with only two years from elections. He said two years were too much for him to wait, so it was better for him to grab it by force which he did not manage up to today. I am still sitting in the same office.”