South Sudan presidential spokesman denies sacking
June 10, 2018 (JUBA) – The South Sudanese presidential spokesman, Ateny Wek Ateny has dismissed reports claiming he has been sidelined and sacked from his post.
“It is true many people, especially friends and family members as well as my detractors have written to me privately to clarify if I am suspended or relieved. This is not true. I am still working as normal in the office of the president discharging my duties as the press secretary”, he told Sudan Tribune.
The presidential aide blamed his distractors over the ongoing rumor.
“I have been neither suspended nor relieved. This fake news is from those who envy me for doing my job. They abhor the government and at the same time they don’t want me to be in the government”, further said Ateny.
“But, I am happy to inform all of you that I am still the Press Secretary in the Office of the President”, he added.
It remains unclear from where the reports that circulated on social media originated.
This is, however, the third time a report on Ateny’s sacking has been subjected to public debates. Also, several officials at the presidency have dismissed the veracity of reports about his sacking, but claimed the prevailing general feeling that he lacks technical knowledge, qualifications and prerequisite skills required for the job, resulting in him uttering statements viewed as display of lack knowledge.
“Sometimes if even we at the presidency who are his colleagues do feel that he operates outside ethical parameters but there is no improvement. We have hoped he would improve the way he communicates with the public and messages from the presidency to the public; unfortunately he ends up uttering statements out of proportion,” a presidential aide told Sudan Tribune on Sunday.
He added, “The statement about banks being opened at nights was one of the statements he should not have uttered, whatever the case”,
Ateny, a renowned political commentator, was appointed a presidential press secretary in November 2013
(ST)