This Saturday, May 25, in Juba, the capital of South Sudan, thousands of members of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) were in a meeting. The reason for this large gathering: to declare the candidacy of President Salva Kiir to wear the colors of the SPLM in the next elections in December 2024. And this, on the part of SPLM members from the Equatoria region, in the south of the country , where Salva Kiir is not from.
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With our correspondent in Juba, Florence Miettaux
Dressed in bright red t-shirts and caps, the color of the SPLM, thousands of supporters Salva Kiir gathered on the esplanade of the Mausoleum of John Garang.
President of the SPLM section of Ibba County, Western Equatoria, Tito Kumba made the trip accompanied by musicians and dancers. “ We support our president, Comrade Salva Kiir Mayardit, because he fought for independence. And this struggle to develop the country is not over “, he believes.
Ravaged during the civil war, the Equatoria region was, in places, emptied of its inhabitants. Land grabbing in Central Equatoria is one of the sensitive issues at the heart of the grievances of the rebellion of General Thomas Cirillo, a non-signatory to the 2018 peace agreement.
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Thus, the subject was raised, notably by the governor of Eastern Equatoria State, Luis Lobong Lojore: “ We call on the national government to support the authorities in Central Equatoria to resolve the problem of land grabbing amicably “.
Wearing a red cowboy hat, Salva Kiir thanked his supporters in Equatoria and extended his hand to the last rebel groups. “ To ensure that this election is inclusive, I appeal to our still recalcitrant brothers and sisters to accept the Kenyan president’s mediation initiative William Ruto to dialogue with us and find an agreement “, he said.
On the other hand, he affirmed his wish that the election take place as planned, in December, despite the reluctance of the opposition and the United Nations.