Union of Journalists of South Sudan (UJOSS), has regarded as fake reports indicating that some journalists who covered the state event in the country where President, Salva Kiir Mayardit, peed on his pants during a national anthem recitation, are missing and others found dead.
President Salva Kir was this week caught on camera peeing on himself during a road commissioning event.
Consequently, some social media users alleged that a number of these have either been killed by the State for embarrassing the President or commited suicide because of guilt.
But, the journalists body says otherwise.
“UJOSS would like to make it abundantly clear that as per our records, at the moment, there is no journalist who had been arrested and no journalist is missing,” says Patrick Oyet Charles, the UJOSS President in a statement.
The viral video on social media platforms evoking mixed feelings as people debate how African leaders never want to step down from power despite illnesses and old age.
From a professional perspective, Journalist Kassim Kayira says: “It’s a matter of common sense. Would you show your parent do so in public? This is a President. And I think he (Journalist) tried to move away the camera to show us what wasn’t of interest instead showing the reaction on the faces of those in attendance which was more telling.”
Muwonge, another Ugandan Journalist had this to say: “I went to capture the event of Kabaka’s birthday. His appearance shocked me. When he got out of the car, I was looking at the camera screen. I lowered the camera down. I decided to capture medium and long shots. I also got close ups but likely for the right time in the future. We should also censure ourselves in such circumstances. But camera person panned away so his judgement was right. May be he had to delete the clip especially in Africa.”
Some medical professionals have given their opinions on reasons that might have led to the president wetting himself in public. Some of these reasons include the possibilities that Salva Kiir Mayardit could be suffering from a chronic urinary tract infection, which is common in older men. The sickness affects how men handle their bladder.
Dr Muhereza Mukuzi, the the former Uganda Medical Association (UMA) Secretary General says the situation could be what is termed as urine incontinence (Urinary incontinence is the inability to control urination) in medical terms.
The condition can be caused by everyday habits, underlying medical conditions or physical problems.