Photo: President Kiir (in hat) talking to Parliamentary Affairs Minister Makuei Lueth. (Credit: The Niles)

South Sudan presidency downplays misunderstanding between Kiir and Makuei

South Sudan presidency on Tuesday downplayed differences between President Kiir and his information minister Michael Makuei

South Sudan presidency on Tuesday downplayed differences between President Kiir and his information minister Michael Makuei.

This comes after Kiir got into a heated exchange with Makuei Lueth over the ongoing fighting between Jonglei and Boma states during a cabinet meeting last week.  Kiir had received a security report that military commanders from Dinka Bor used state resources to attack Murle community.

Reportedly, the heated exchange forced President Kiir to leave the cabinet meeting.

Speaking to Radio Tamazuj on Tuesday, Ateny Wek Ateny, South Sudan’s presidential spokesman, said the alleged misunderstanding between President Kiir and Information Minister Makuei Lueth was fabricated by some media outlets.

He pointed out that President Kiir could have asked Michael Makuei to leave the meeting if there was a misunderstanding between them.

“The president has a constitutional right to expel anybody from the meeting. So, if Makuei misbehaved, the President would have asked him to go out of the meeting. The President didn’t leave the meeting because of a misunderstanding with Information Minister Michael Makuei,”said Ateny.