Nairobi/Juba, July 24, 2020 (SSNA) — A prominent South Sudanese economist and activist Peter Biar Ajak has fled to the United States with his family on Thursday after he was warned by a senior government official that President Salva Kiir has secretly ordered the national security to kill him in Kenya.
Peter Biar told Reuters that the information was credible.
“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 said.
The activist disclosed that he was followed by SUVs with South Sudan’s plates one day in Nairobi and that was when he knew for a fact that it was a Kiir’s hit squad going after him.
Kiir’s office dismissed the allegation as “nonsese” and that the government never abduct or kill South Sudanese in foreing countries. However, South sudan’s government has a documented history of killing and abducting critics outside in Kenya and Uganda.
Peter impisoned for nearly 18 months after the government acused him of disturbing the peace by talking to foreing media. He was pardoned in January along with a prominent business man Kerbino Wol Agok, who later found the 7th October Movement, a rebel group fighting against the government. Kerbino was killed by government forced this month.