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Africa Eastern Africa Politics Press Release South Sudan

Dr. Machar’s Grand Reception In Nairobi

Dr. Riek Machar Teny's Briefing on his arrival in Kenya at an invitation of president Uhuru Kenyatta(Photo: State House)
Dr. Riek Machar Teny’s Briefing on his arrival in Kenya at an invitation of president Uhuru Kenyatta(Photo: State House)

May 29, 2014(Nyamilepedia) — Sources from Nairobi, Kenya, strongly emphasize how warmly the leaders of the South Sudan’s armed opposition, under Dr. Riek Machar Teny Dhurgon, were received by the Kenyan government officials.

Sources report that the advanced delegation that received Machar was staffed with high profile security intelligence.

Machar’s own intelligence force, a mixed of diaspora-trained and those that were expelled from South Sudan, was reportedly at the brim with the security arrangements.

The surveillance was timely despite that Machar was expected to visit the Sudanese capital, Khartoum, before Nairobi.

Upon his arrival in Nairobi, Machar held successful meetings with supporters and other reformists including Dr. Richard Kenyi. Among the gatherings were the civil societies, religious leaders, supporters and South Sudanese youth in the country.

Meeting government officials:

Machar is expected to meet with Kenyan government officials while his short visit lasts. The top officials that Machar was scheduled to meet include mediator Gen. Lazaro Sumbeiyo, the presidency Uhuru Kenyatta, William Ruto, and others.

So far, Machar has met the Kenyan chief mediator, Lazaro Sumbeiywo and president Uhuru Kenyatta.

Gen. Lazaro, who was among the officials who reportedly enforced the recent agreement between Machar and Kiir, negotiated the Machakos Peace Agreement and also played vital roles in the CPA that led to the independent of South Sudan in 2011.

According to James Gatdet Dak, Dr. Machar met with president Uhuru Kenyatta on Wednesday.

“Our chairman, Dr. Riek Machar, has on Wednesday met with the president of the Republic of Kenya, Uhuru Kenyatta, at the State House. The long meeting was cordial and examined the mechanisms in the ongoing IGAD-mediated peace process between our movement and the Juba regime,” Machar’s spokesperson, James Gatdet Dak said.

Dr. Riek is expected to meet with other government officials including some of his colleagues in the Kenyan opposition parties.

Family Reunion:

Although Machar did not list Kenya as his top priority, part of his family lives in Nairobi. This would be the first time Machar reunites with his family since he narrowly escaped the controversial assassination in December, last year.

As confirmed by mama Rebecca, the widow of Dr. John Garang, senior anti-government officials, relatives and friends, Machar lost 34 family members, relatives and staff when the presidential guards droved through his residence in Juba, on 17th December, 2013.

The house, which initially belonged to the government, was grounded with tanks by a combined presidential militia and tiger battalion, leaving some dead and other wounded.

Anjelina Teny, the wife to Dr. Machar, who narrowly escaped with him, broke into tears in Addis Ababa while narrating her sad experience of how helpless she felt hearing children crying for her help over the phone as the presidential guards brutally turned against them.

Machar hardly elaborates his sorrowful experiences in the context of his own family; instead he believes that it is not a personal grudge with his main rival, Salva Kiir. He reiterates that his differences with his former boss are politically based on ideologies.

Machar believes that he would transform these tough experiences to reform the nation and reconcile the masses.

Public Reaction:

Although a few SPLM-IO supporters were critical of the conduct of the security staff, many supporters were contented with the helping hands of Kenyan authority, as well as the community support extended to Machar’s leadership.

One South Sudanese, from Nairobi Hill, strongly reiterated that Machar’s grand welcome was incomparable.

“The democratic leader, Dr-Riek Machar-Teny, had a warm reception that was never enjoyed by Kiir in Nairobi… Kenyan Envoy Lazaro Sumbeiywo, high profile government officials, thousands of his supporters and a good number of foreign diplomats were among the crowds” said Martin, a South Sudanese residing in Nairobi.

Another concern South Sudanese, echoes across the continents from Australia how elegant Machar’s leadership is being treated in the Kenyan capital.

“The reception Dr Riek Machar received from the Government of Kenya was remarkable… President Uhuru Kenyatta made Dr Riek felt at home with a warm welcome which included the mention of KILELESHWA a suburb where Dr Riek Machar once lived.” Changkuoth stated.

The former detainees are as well getting some courtesies, living on luxurious property against the will of their former boss, Salva Kiir, who kept them in jail for over 4 months.

Related stories:

Looking after special guests from S. Sudan

EXCLUSIVE: Interview with former vice president’s wife, Angelina Teny

EXCLUSIVE: Rebecca Nyandeng Garang Reveals All — How Salva Kiir’s ‘private army’ prompted the current conflict

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6 comments

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[…] June 02, 2014(Nyamilepedia) — Although the South Sudan government is lobbing to maintain the current system of governance, Dr. Machar, the chairman and commander in Chief of SPLM [in opposition] has ruled out any power sharing with Salva Kiir, his former boss.During his grand visit to Nairobi, Machar denied any possibility of sharing power with Salva Kiir, unless under the new system that his armed opposition is campaigning for.”It depends on, under what system. Under the current system, No, No. I won’t be a participant but under the structural South Sudan, after the peace agreement and an interim government is formed then there would be a reason for why we would be in the government” Machar emphasized in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi.Machar continues to elaborates that the conflict began as an attempt to silence him and his colleagues after he pointed out the “We have been engaged in serious debates, I have raised issues on corruption, which was happening being rampant in the government, insecurity, which was also engulfing the country, and tribalism, which was being institutionalized in the government and lack of development and the fierce issue was our relationships were deteriorating very fast with some of our neighbors and even the international community that helped us get independent. And we also had problems within the SPLM as a party, our own members were saying the SPLM had lost vision” Machar told the KTN, Kenya.Machar’s attempt to save South Sudan from collapsing was widely supported by many South Sudanese, including young men and women, whom some have turned against the vision of Machar to partially support the government as some claim some neutrality.Many young South Sudanese intellectuals, who rallied behind Machar and his colleagues before the conflict, were only worried that the senior politicians in the SPLM’s politburo were not doing enough to support Machar and to save South Sudan from the deteriorating path that led to the current conflict.Out of 18 politburo members, 14 members partially supported Machar against Salva Kiir and his camps. In his reaction, Kuir E Garang, who described Machar “as the only man with balls”, sharply criticized the silence of the 14 members, two weeks before the conflict broke out.”Why’s a group of 14 men, those who fought during the war, let one man bully them like some…some…some…never mind? What’s 14 men against 4 men? Why’s Kiir violating the constitution on almost all his ‘decrees’ and everyone in South Sudan is timid like Kiir is some sort of a superman? How can 14 members of the Political Bureau watch as Kiir’s action run out of control…. Isn’t it time for those members to politically and constitutionally fight Kiir before he destroys the country and SPLM? What if these men meet and put a stop to this madness, this out of control ‘decreehea!’ … Kiir needs to be brought to account! This man is not above the law and the national constitution! If the 14 members come out with a force with a unified voice, what’s Kiir going to do? Kill them? Fire them…again?…Kiir needs to be brought to his senses to respect the constitution, the leadership of SPLM, the presidency, or be forced out of the SPLM using the Transitional National Constitution or the SPLM party Constitution! ” Kuir wrote on Nov 28th on his social media page. Other young South Sudanese and friends of South Sudan were spreading similar messages on social media to support democracy in the country. Machar and his colleagues called for a political rally during their press conference on December 6. The conference was promptly responded to, on December 9th by a group led by Wanni Igga, the vice president. The government went ahead to schedule the long awaited National Liberation Council(NLC) meeting to coincide with the rally, however, the first day of conference, December 14, was decried by many politicians due to fierce attacks on Dr. Machar and his camp by the president.Two months after the conflict broke out, Igga, the vice president, came out to decry giving up his current position to his former vice president, Dr. Machar, claiming that he does Machar a big favor in the past. “I will not offer my position again to Dr. Riek Machar like I did in 2002. I have to make this clear to the rebel leader. There used to be room during CPA struggle to defectors but not this time. Enough is enough”. Igga was quoted in February.Igga was referring to 2002 peace agreement when Machar’s SPDF merged with Garang’s SPLM/A. Although the SPLM/A retians its name, Machar’s visions for self-determination and democracy were loosely incooporated into SPLM/A doctrines. In 2011 South Sudan gained independent with Salva Kiir as the president and Machar as the vice president. That hierarchy was maintained until Machar became too vocal on his boss’ leadership style that he believes to have let down the country.Today, Machar’s leadership his calling for federalism, new constitutions, democracy, among other principles. These topics are being scrutinized within the country and abroad as Machar and Kiir returns to Ethiopia for another face-to-face meeting.Related stories:Riek Machar has ruled out any power sharing with Salva KiirMachar pushes for caretaker govt as face-to-face meeting with Kiir flopsDr. Machar’s Grand Reception In Nairobi […]

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