President Salva Kiir will begin to give chance to local journalists to interview after more than a decade in power, an official has announced.
The spokesperson in his office, Lily Adhieu, revealed on Thursday in a meeting with representatives of media houses in the country.
“Our journalists have been complaining a lot about being not given a chance, especially I remember when Jeff came, everybody was just mad,” Adhieu said in the meeting.
Since president Kiir got into power in 2005, he has never been interviewed by any South Sudanese journalist. Only foreign media personalities have interviewed him, notably Jeff Koinange, a Kenyan – in 2016 and 2021.
Majak Daniel, secretary general of the Union of Journalists of South Sudan, welcomed the move. He urges the media fraternity in the country to make use of the opportunity.
“It’s a good working idea that we should buy… So, let’s take it as a good opportunity for us as all journalist to be doing it,” Majak said.
However, Adhieu cautioned journalists that “talking to the president or interviewing the president is a privilege, not a right”.
The media relation office in the presidency further explained that access to have one-on-one interview with the head of the state will involve a lot of clearance from security and protocol.
