fbpx
News Politics South Sudan Uganda

Regional leaders boycott South Sudan independence celebration

Independence Day photo
Previous Independence Day’s photo modified by Zee Machar / Nyamilepedia

July 8th, 2015(Nyamilepedia) — Latest updates from Juba, South Sudan, indicate that none of the regional leaders and presidents will be attending the South Sudan 4th independence celebration despite several invitations from the embattled president, Salva Kiir Mayardit, to his colleagues in the region.

The only president that is confirmed to attend, so far, is the Ugandan president, Yoweri Museveni, who is seen as a major player in South Sudanese politics, peace and conflict as a “close ally” to president Salva Kiir.

In addition to fighting the civil war alongside Salva Kiir forces yet participating in the IGAD led peace talks, Museveni is the only president in the region that has attended the last three independent anniversaries of the war-torn South Sudan.

Uganda provides ground troops and helicopters in return for payments from the regime in Juba.

To avoid sanctions and arms embargo, Juba has also contracted Kampala to purchase military equipments and technologies on behave of Salva Kiir’s administration.

Like in 2014, none of the IGAD and African Union heads of states and governments has been confirmed to be attending.

A leading Member of Parliament at the South Sudan National Assembly, who cannot be identified as he is not authorize to speak on such matters, says invitation letters where sent by high profile ministers including the foreign minister, Barnaba Benjamin Marial, but so far no president has positively responded.

“The letters where send since some month ago, even the Foreign minister has visited this countries and met those leaders, but they have not responded positively to the invitations” the lawmaker says with caution.

The Egyptian President, Abdul Fatah el Sessie, who was officially invited by President Salva Kiir as earlier as 2014 was the first to turn down the invitation, allegedly on grounds that he had more important issues to attend to back home, and would therefore attend the independence celebration “next time”.

Other African countries have delegated low profile officials, including their ministers of youth and sports as others designated their ambassadors to attend on their behaves.

“The African leaders think our president is not serious about peace, that could be one of the reasons why you see no leaders from the IGAD or the region have come here to our independence day, this is not normal” said the visibly shocked law maker.

Observers say Salva Kiir’s regime could have wanted regional Presidents to attend as a sign of endorsement for his government, but the lack of attendance from regional leaders could send a strong message to the embattled administration in Juba,

Analysts monitoring the situation say regional and international leaders might want to send a strong signal to South Sudan that they’re not comfortable or wishing to endorse the current regime of Salva Kiir.

Others believe that the main motive in undermining Salva Kiir’s invitation could be an attempt to push the troubled president to work for peace and stop the war instead of concentrating on ruling a divided failed state.

The Member of Parliament says some of the regional leaders are concerned about the security and humanitarian situation in the country.

Unexpectedly, Salva Kiir sworn himself in as a president on Wednesday morning just one day before the celebration for the country’s independence.

In April this year, the President instructed the parliament to extend his term in office without any elections and give him three more years without any democratic vote.

Since its independent in July 2011, South Sudan has never held legitimate elections but endorsed Salva Kiir to rule the country until this year [2015] where elections were expected to have been held before the end of last month.

Related posts

8-member Nilepet Board of directors sworn in by President Kiir today

Nyamilepedia

President Kiir joins mourners to send off deceased military generals

Nyamilepedia

Gen. Gatdet in Profile: South Sudan Will Never Be The Same!

.

14 comments

AGUMUT July 8, 2015 at 5:00 am

Independence Celeberation is not very important now.

Reply
man of the people July 8, 2015 at 7:03 am

Celebrate WHAT?

Reply
AGUMUT July 8, 2015 at 7:09 pm

To Celeberates South Sudan Independence,our people can celeberate our Independent free of charge so it is better for you to back off. We don’t care if regional leaders boycott South Sudan independence celeberation in Juba or not. Regional Leaders attendance only in Juba.

Reply
Bentiu Raman July 8, 2015 at 9:08 am

It is good that the Regional leaders finally realized that Kiir is the most foolish and clueles president in the world.

Reply
Bentiu Ramaran July 8, 2015 at 9:12 am

It is good that the Regional leaders finally realized that Kiir is the most foolish and clueles president in the world. The world should know that Salva Kiir is full time drunkard who passes laws while drunk.

Reply
AGUMUT July 8, 2015 at 10:17 pm

Regional Leaders attendance only in Juba. Our embassies across the regional have not being shutdown,so their present of South Sudan Independence celeberation is not very important.

Reply
Adel Sandrai July 8, 2015 at 12:33 pm

Our independence is very dear to all of us South Sudanese. Our people sacrificed for it since 1820AD and we will protect it with our lives and blood. Despots like Salva Kiir should not stop us from celebrating our independence. We are free people and want to live a life of freedom and prosperity. Long live South Sudan and the independence of the South Sudanese people.

Reply
James Turbil July 8, 2015 at 7:36 pm

Adel Sandrai, We are Not celebrating Salva Kiir’s presidency. we are celebrating our Nation Birth, but those who doesn’t tell the truth will suffer in the future!! Anywhere you are in as a southern Sudanese, feel free to celebrate the nation’s birth. I appreciate Regional Leaders who has down turn the invitation of Salva Kiir because he doesn’t know those leaders are tired of convincing him to accept the peace. Musevenie will never turn down any invitation because He has got a food basket place to shop in. Looting our nation is blessing of Musevenie and Dinka Elders and their clans.

Reply
emmanuel kandaru July 8, 2015 at 9:44 pm

Of course, having failed to bring democracy to Uganda and buy every Ugandan a pair of shoes, M7 has find something to do!

Reply
Henry Chol Chol July 8, 2015 at 10:25 pm

Yes, Its good that none of the leaders has turned up and what would be the impact to the country as whole I think nothing would happen If you don’t need the president just quit what we need is peace I hate those young youth complaining or talking about politics when even you got no children but you are just there busy on nonsense ! I hate politics more than my feaces , You gotta know that leaders are your identity not to be your subject of your dicussions.

Reply
chuolkhan July 9, 2015 at 12:43 am

Yes my dear Henry chol what we are now is not politics man, if so what is matter for that whom do u think to command on those statement let us play the game the true things will be see. Let me tell you as usual the war we are now a day or the war we have been fought for 19 months since from 2013 Dec up to now it does not know the one who have child and the child and so on .let me tell you one proverbs right now it saying that: War has no eyes. what do you thing of that???????????? if we are no talk in media what will be the role of youth as we are loooool!

Reply
chuolkhan July 8, 2015 at 11:15 pm

Those of regional leaders they are not fool like dictator Kiir very shame on president how and why Mr dictator president to call those who are kinds to their people and event they are not dictators like him also they know how the mistake is really from president of South-Sudan for what to attend the independent day of the country whose president is under the question for what to attended it???? while people have been in war for 19 month shame on you those are attend it you don,t feel sorry about the huge number of citizens who suppose to be there were not there do you think it will be very happy independent day??? For those regional leaders they have right to refused not to attend the 4th anniversary independent day of South-Sudan government of south Sudan and their armies will not be in good move now a day it is very easy for bullet or some thing could should happening while people are in celebration hours no body know let them do shame on them and shame on dictator president only Yoweri of Ugandan will attend that because he thought that South -Sudan will be second motherland of Ugandan people what fucken invitation for Ugandan forces to protect the regime of kiir and event they called our land is theirs land Jajajajajajajajajajajajaj your day is coming might be

Reply
man of the people July 9, 2015 at 9:39 am

THE BASIC REQUIREMENTS OF LIFE , LIBERTY AND THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS ARE NON EXISTENT IN THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH SUDAN. Monster Kiir shame on you.

Reply
ALONEWOLF July 9, 2015 at 12:18 pm

Mr benitiu Raman
do you know the most foolish ,selfish and stupid in the world? if you don’t know the answer .the answer is Dr Riek Machar and prof David De Chand.

Reply

Leave a Reply to Bentiu Ramaran Cancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

//zeekaihu.net/4/4323504
%d bloggers like this: