Machar’s media aide James Gatdet dismisses as ‘fake’ reports purporting removal from long-time job 

JUBA – The press secretary in the office of South Sudan’s First Vice President has dismissed as fake news reports on social media that he has been removed from his position after some social media users decided to connect his travel to Ethiopia to the ongoing disagreement between Dr. Riek Machar and SPLA-IO Chief of Staff General Simon Gatwech Dual.

This comes a day after the senior opposition official said in a statement that he has delegated SPLM-IO Director of Information and Public Relations Puok Both Baluang to act on his behalf while on leave.

Some social media users have claimed that James Gatdet Dak who has been a close ally of Machar for a very long time has been dismissed with some connecting his absence from Juab to an ongoing dispute between Machar and General Simon Gatwech Dual.

“Kindly disregard the fake news trending on social media that I have resigned from my public duty as the Press Secretary in the Office of the First Vice President, H.E. Dr. Riek Machar. I would have ignored this had it not been for the numerous people who have been affected by the disinformation and contacted me to confirm its authenticity,” he Gatdet said in a statement.

“There is a difference between resignation or relief and being on leave. I am simply on leave. Unfortunately, some people decided to twist it around by trying to connect unrelated dots. Or maybe the word ‘leave’ was misunderstood,” he added.

The senior opposition official said he has previously “informed media outlets and the general public that I had officially delegated the Director of Communications and Public Relations in the SPLM/SPLA (IO) office, Cde Puok Both Baluang, to be acting on my behalf while on leave until the time I return to the Office.”

“Cde Puok is also an experienced cadre in the media work or public outreach. He is also being assisted by an able team of volunteers (pending official appointments) in the persons of Cde Gordon Yien Gordon, Cde Hassan Elisa Jamba, among others in the media department,” he confirmed, adding that he, has is in “touch with them almost on daily basis.”

“However, since I am currently on leave from office, and also assigned to other occasional peace-making duties that require travelling at times – as directed by the Presidency from the Office of H E. President Salva Kiir Mayardit – I again want to remind media outlets to be directing their inquiries to Cde Puok Both Baluang as the Acting Press Secretary in the Office.”