SPLMIO dismisses reports of Machars transfer to Wau prison

Juba – The Sudan People’s Liberation Movement in Opposition (SPLM-IO) has firmly denied reports circulating on social media that its leader and the country’s First Vice President, Dr. Riek Machar, was being transferred from his residence in Juba to Wau Central Prison in Western Bahr el Ghazal State.

Rumors emerged Tuesday through a prominent Facebook page, citing unnamed sources who claimed that Machar, who is currently under house arrest, was being relocated to the detention facility in Wau.

However, Dut Majokdit, a senior member of the SPLM-IO’s National Liberation Council, swiftly moved to dispel the allegations. Speaking to exclusively, Majokdit clarified that Dr. Machar remains under house arrest at his residence in the capital Juba.

“That is not true,” Majokdit stated. “The Chairman and Commander-in-Chief is at his house in Hai Hamarat. This claim that he is being transferred to Wau prison is completely false.”

He urged the public to ignore what he described as baseless speculation. “Just disregard these rumors circulating on social media,” he emphasized.

Dr. Machar has been under house arrest since March this year, following a breakdown in relations between the government and the SPLM-IO, the main armed opposition group in South Sudan.

The exact reasons behind his detention remain unclear, but it is widely believed to be linked to the confrontation between armed militia perceived to be his loyalists and the South Sudan People Defense in the Upper Nile town of Nasir.

Despite ongoing efforts by regional and international actors to mediate the crisis and secure access to the detained First Vice President, attempts to meet Dr. Machar have so far been unsuccessful.

Former Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga, who was appointed as a special envoy by Kenyan President William Ruto to help resolve South Sudan’s political deadlock, was expected to hold talks with Machar during a visit to Juba. However, his planned engagement was postponed after Juba required that he first consult with Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni.

Following Odinga’s departure, a high-level delegation from the African Union known as the “Panel of the Wise” also traveled to Juba to assess the situation and push for dialogue among political stakeholders.

According to sources familiar with the visit, the delegation’s request to meet Dr. Machar was denied by the authorities, further fueling concerns about the lack of transparency surrounding his detention.

The ongoing restrictions on Machar’s movements and limited access by mediators have raised fresh questions about the commitment of South Sudan’s leadership to the peace process as the country prepares for its first post-independence elections scheduled for later this year.

The SPLM-IO has called on regional and international guarantors of the 2018 peace agreement to intervene and ensure that all parties uphold their obligations, including the protection of political freedoms and the right to participate in national dialogue.

sudanspost.com