Machar’s office refutes claims he has been evacuated to Europe
South Sudan’s First Vice President and SPLM-IO leader Dr. Riek Machar Teny attends the 32nd Extraordinary Summit of the IGAD heads of states in Addis Ababa on June 21, 2018. (Photo credit: YONAS TADESSE/AFP via Getty Images)
May 22, 2020 (SSNN) — South Sudan’s First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar Teny has not been evacuated to any foreign country as reported on a section of South Sudan media yesterday, a spokesman for Machar said in a statement this morning.
On Thursday, reports were circulated on social media of Machar having been evacuated to Europe allegedly after his COVID-19 infection worsened.
“Please ignore the false rumours circulating on social media that the First Vice President of the Republic, H.E. Dr. Riek Machar Teny-Dhurgon, and the Minister of Defense and Veterans Affairs, Madam Angelina Teny, have left the country, or went to UK,” Machar’s office said in a statement seen by South Sudan News Now (SSNN).
“They are currently in their residence in Juba where they have self-quarantined after testing positive for COVID-19 on 18 May, 2020,” the statement added.
The statement further said Machar and his wife were well and would resume duties in the near future.
“Both are also in good health and may soon resume their normal official activities after 14 days are over, and as advised by the doctors from the ministry of Health,” the statement said.
Machar who is also the SPLM-IO leader earlier this week publicly announced that he, his wife and several members of the former high-level taskforce tested positive for COVID-19.
He said he was quarantining for 14 days as recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO).
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