Fist fight occurs at South Sudan President’s office

December 6, 2016 (JUBA) – A physical confrontation occurred between two senior staff at South Sudan’s president office, an eyewitness told Sudan Tribune Monday.

The incident happened between the acting chief administrator, Ambassador Bol Wek Agoth and one Thiik Thiik Machar, a nephew to the South Sudanese President Salva Kiir.

The two officials are said to have bitterly argued over an outstanding payment that was meant for Thiik, with the latter accusing the acting chief administrator of “sleeping on his job and having run down the president’s office into bankruptcy”

Thiik further accused Agoth of having vacated his office at the general administration block of the office of the president and always hanged around the president for unnecessary attention, neglecting his responsibilities, a source told Sudan Tribune.

In the ensuing confusion, however, the acting chief administrator reportedly responded by accusing Thiik of demanding to be paid from what was not budgeted.

The two officials were reportedly restrained by other colleagues and Thiik was asked to immediately vacate the presidential palace compound.

An aide to President Kiir, speaking on condition of anonymity, expressed outrage over the matter, but did, however, admit that staff morale was of late very low within the presidency.

The president’s office was recently in the spotlight after it emerged that about $280 million went missing from a safe. An official within the presidency, however, denied the alleged theft incident.

(ST)