Kenya Entangled in South Sudan Assassination Claims

Ajak who had been living in Nairobi after he was released from a South Sudan prison, on Saturday, July 25, thanked US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo for facilitating his escape to the US from Nairobi on Thursday, July 23.

“Thank you Mike Pompeo and State Department officials in D.C., Nairobi and Juba for helping my family and me get refuge in the USA after I fled a death squad sent by South Sudan President Salva Kiir. Kiir has ruled 9 years with an iron fist never facing an election,” he stated.

Ajak had been living in Nairobi since February 2020 after he was released from prison where he had spent 18 months. He had been accused of disturbing peace by speaking to foreign media. 

Speaking to Reuters on Friday, July 24, Ajak disclosed that he had arrived at Dulles Airport outside Washington with his wife and three small children.

He also claimed that he had learnt that Kiir was onto him through unnamed sources from the South Sudan Capital, Juba.

“About five weeks ago I received information that the president of South Sudan, Salva Kiir, had ordered the National Security Service… to either kill me in Nairobi or abduct me and bring me back to South Sudan,†he told Ruters.

He further explained that he felt that the country had felt threatened by his growing influence but Kiir’s press unit denied the assassination attempts noting that Ajak had been pardoned by the president.

“That is complete nonsense. He was here when he was pardoned by the president and allowed to go abroad. He should not associate anything that comes his way with the government of South Sudan,†read the statement in part.

Ajak had claimed that SUVs with South Sudan number plates were following him in Nairobi, a statement that made the US to arrange for his departure.

He said that his troubles began when another activist, Keribino Agok Wol, who had been jailed together with him, rebelled against the state and was allegedly murdered in June.

“When I got out, I was prevented from travelling and from having my passport for some time.

“And then when I finally got to Nairobi, I remained silent for some time until about a few weeks ago, particularly during the incident of Keribino, I started receiving calls from many senior people in South Sudan warning me that a team had been sent to Nairobi to execute me,” he told the BBC.

In July 2018, Ajak was intercepted by National Security Service (NSS) officers as he waited to travel to his hometown, north of the capital, Juba, and taken into police custody.

The South Sudanese national has been a regular contributor to NTV‘s AMLive show where he comments on political issues in Kenya and the greater East African region.

He is also the Chairman of the South Sudanese Young Leaders Forum (SSYLF).

South Sudan’s Deputy President Riek Machar (left) and President Salva Kiir (right) successfully signed an agreement to usher in a joint government on February 22, 2020.

File