South Sudan denies rumors of president's illness

JUBA, May 2 (Xinhua) -- South Sudan President Salva Kiir is healthy and fit to perform his duties, top presidential aides said Wednesday amid allegations by a former government physician that the president is "mentally ill and unfit" to be in office.

Presidential spokesman Ateny Wek Ateny described the report as lies and negative propaganda generated to degrade the image of South Sudanese leader.

"The president is very healthy and doing his work normally, therefore there is no reason to say that he is ill and unfit to lead our country. Those are lies," Ateny told Xinhua by phone.

Last week, Mawien Akot, a former government medical consultant who previously worked at South Sudan's biggest public health facility, the Juba Teaching Hospital, claimed that Kiir is ill and has no mental and physical ability to rule.

Andrew Akon Akech, head of the president's medical unit, denied the accusations and said Akot has never served in the office of the president. Enditem