The family of the Late Dr. John Garang has dispelled rumors that Vice President Rebecca Nyandeng De Mabior, who heads the Gender and Youth Cluster in South Sudan’s transitional government, is under house arrest in Uganda.
Rumors have been making rounds in South Sudan and among the diaspora that Mrs. De Mabior was denied travel to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates and that she is currently under house arrest in the Ugandan capital, Kampala.
VP Nyandeng departed from Juba International Airport on 27 March for Nairobi en route to Dubai for medical treatment. However, what caused an almost four-week delay in reaching her final destination has not been clearly explained.
A family member who spoke to Radio Tamazuj on condition of anonymity on Thursday morning, said he has heard the rumors but that there was no official communication from the government about their matriarch being placed under house arrest.
“She was supposed to go for treatment to Dubai, and because she holds a diplomatic passport, she needs clearance from the foreign ministry to travel. Maybe the foreign ministry delayed issuing that document because of the Easter season, and maybe the offices were closed,” he explained. “All I know is that they have been waiting in Uganda for that clearance, but we did not hear any official communication from the government that she is under house arrest. If someone is under house arrest, the government tells them so, but also, you cannot be put under house arrest in another country. The media has a lot of propaganda, so I cannot just follow something where someone photoshops a picture and posts it because people have their interests.”
Mama Rebecca is a vice president in the Government of South Sudan, and First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar’s house arrest was officially announced, but for her, there has been no official communication that she is under house arrest,” the family source added.
He said that, considering the circumstances, he could not confirm to this publication that Mrs. De Mabior is under house arrest.
“All I know is that there is a document that they were waiting for, and they might have received that document today, and they might travel to Dubai today,” he stressed. “ Perhaps people want to use the confusing situation for their own interests.”
“Our position is that we support the government, and we do not want to be part of the propaganda. Maybe this opposition, which is now under attack, wants to use the name of the family of Late Dr. John Garang,” he concluded.
When contacted about the matter, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Apuk Ayuel Mayen said the government has granted VP Rebecca Nyandeng approval to travel for medical treatment in Dubai and accorded her all necessary facilitation. However, she did not explain the four-week delay between VP Nyandeng’s departure from Juba and her arrival in her intended destination of Dubai.
“High government officials seek and are granted permission for departure as a matter of procedure. After that, the Ministry processes the relevant documentation,” she stated. “Proper approvals were received, and the Ministry has already done the necessary facilitation.”