Students at the University of Juba have confirmed to local media that their examinations had been postponed as former vice-president Riak Machar was whisked to court to answer treason charges.
The No1 Citizen Daily newspaper quoted several students earlier this week as saying that educational activities were some of the activities interrupted as heavy security deployments were made across the South Sudanese capital as Machar’s trial began on Monday.
Suspended First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar is among eight members of and the South Sudan People’s Liberation Movement in Opposition (SPLM-IO) being tried for a series of attacks in Upper Nile State blamed for the deaths of scores of security personnel last March.
Juba appeared tense on Monday as South Sudanese civil servants and many workers in the private sector decided to stay from work in ancipation of trouble.
South Sudan, the world’s newest independent nation has been caught up in civil strife since Machar was accused of orchestrating a coup in December 2013.
Despite several agreements which culimated in a shaky government of national unity in 2018, peace remains elusive. Ahead of the trial, Machar, his wife and close bodyguards have been detained over the armed violence in Upper Nile State.
Afendo Oscar Nap was quoted by the newspaper as saying the university authorities informed fellow students that the exams would no longer be held at the scheduled date given the fluid security situation in Juba amid the trial.
“They just told us we should go home for now. There is no examination due to the court proceedings, The examination is postponed. The examination will be communicated after; that is the only information that we have heard from the administration,” Oscar said.
The admnistration of the University of Juba has not commented.
It is not clear when the univiersity exams will take place.
WN/as/APA