August 20, 2021—A community in South Sudan’s Western Equatoria State has accused South Sudan’s President, Gen. Salva Kiir Mayardit and First Vice President Dr.Riek Machar of failing the country.
On 16th of August 2021, the community leaders from Azande in Western Equatoria State accused President Kiir of marginalization and denying citizens their natural and underlying rights.
In a statement seen by Nyamilepedia, the Azande leaders wrote a statement that bears the names of more than 30 leaders from all the six counties of Yambio, Nagero, Tambura, Ezo, Ibba, Nzara and Maridi which are inhabited by the Azande people.
“Given the way in which the regime of Salva Kiir has undermined the Azande people, we the Azande have decided to join the People’s Coalition for Civil Action in calling Kiir’s regime for a peaceful South Sudan. The Azande people support a regime that will create unity, foster peace, and treat people equally. We the Azande people are democratic, and this regime has failed to respect the choice of the leaders or give the Azande a chance to choose their leaders for appointment”, reads the statement.
“For these reasons, we the Azande people for progress call upon the Azande people of the republic of South Sudan all over the world to support People’s Coalition for Civil Action in its call for peaceful transition of power to a new administration which will provide security to its citizens, enforce democratic values, and move our country forward with one national identity and not 64 tribal identities and which will foster peace and development”.the statement added.
According to the statement, the community accused the government of despising people in their pursuit for self-reliance by failing to invest in physical infrastructure that would ensure access and connect local farmers and areas to markets in the country and in the region.
“Mindful that Western Equatoria was the food basket for Southern Sudan during liberation struggle, and remain so today, and regardless of this important role, the regime chose to import food items from Uganda rather than improving road networks to western Equatoria so that our farmers can be connected to markets in Juba and across the country,” the statement emphasized.
The community accused the government of leaving people vulnerable to defend themselves from marauding activities of different rebels operating in the area from Uganda, Central African Republic (CAR) and Sudan.
The Azande community endorsed the calls of the civil society group calls itself “People’s Coalition for Civil Action” that advocates for regime change through non-violent machanism such peaceful demonstrations, assemble and other peaceful means of bringing change.
The group vowed to take it to the streets across the country on 30th of August 2021.
