Upper Nile backs Kiir’s peace calls

The Governor of Upper Nile State, James Odhok said the citizens of the state have endorsed President Salva Kiir’s statement on the eve of independence for reconciliation to avert any recurrent wars.

Speaking during the Upper Nile Region Youth Union event in Juba on Sunday, Odhok said when he visited Upper Nile, he traveled to all 10 counties, and they are all resoundingly backing the peace efforts emphasised by the president.

“I met the people there, and the people were saying the same thing: We need peace we don’t need to go back to war. They even added that “if what the president said about not taking the country back to war is true, then this is very good.”

President Kiir emphasised the peace message during the independence celebration this year.

“Let us work all together to recover from the last decade and put our country back on the path of development in this new decade,” President Kiir said in an address to the nation during the 12th Independence Day.

Kiir also made the statement during the celebration of the Holy Mass by the Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin at the Dr. John Garang Mausoleum last year.

“We want you to take back the message to the Holy Father that the people who came here as those who were fighting in South Sudan are sitting together harmoniously,” President Kiir said.

“I have said many times that I don’t want to take the people of South Sudan back to war again and I will stick to my word to keep the peace.”