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Legalize your stay in Kenya, Machar tells South Sudanese

March 27, 2016 (NAIROBI) – As thousands of citizens from South Sudan reside in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, some with no legal documents or expired documents, First Vice President Designate, Riek Machar, advised them to legalize their stay in the East African country.

Riek Machar answers questions during a press conference in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa on July 9, 2014 (Photo AFP/Zacharias Abubeker)
Riek Machar answers questions during a press conference in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa on July 9, 2014 (Photo AFP/Zacharias Abubeker)
The leader of the armed opposition faction of the Sudan Peoples’ Liberation Movement (SPLM-IO) offered the advice after receiving complaints from South Sudanese residing in Nairobi that they have been harassed by the Kenya police in the streets of the capital, asking for proofs of their legal stay in the country.

However, the South Sudanese leader said the best way to handle it was for those who have no passport and visa, or are refugees, to obtain other legal documents allowing them to live in the cities.

“Legalize your stay in Kenya. If you are a refugee, get registered with the United Nations. Either you go to a refugee camp or get an urban refugee card if you want to live in Nairobi or in other towns,” Machar offered the advice during his briefing on Saturday which was attended by thousands of South Sudanese in Nairobi.

He also said South Sudan has joined the East African Community (EAC) and its citizens will soon enjoy the freedom of living in the EAC member states once the process is finally formalized and communicated to the Kenyan police.

Machar also called on South Sudanese in Kenya not to involve in criminal acts, but strictly obey the country’s laws.

He urged the youth to take advantage of the opportunity to access better education in Kenya in order to become knowledgeable citizens and human resources for the world’s youngest nation.

Earlier, a number of South Sudanese residing in Nairobi raised the complaint to Machar in the meeting, saying even those who have legal documents have been harassed by the Kenya police.

“Kenya police have been harassing us here in Nairobi. Even now they are outside waiting for us,” said one of the complainants during the briefing in KICC hall on Saturday.

Tens of thousands of South Sudanese refugees live in Kenya with some preferring to stay in urban areas such as Nairobi where they have enrolled their children in school.

(ST)

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