May 9th 2019 (Nyamilepedia) – South Sudan President, Salva Kiir Mayardiit, has urged opposition groups fighting him in the country to put down their guns so that he can leave power.
Kiir has been ruling South Sudan since the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) in 2005 that ended Africa’s longest civil war which killed and displaced millions.
Speaking during the launch of Civil Registry in the country’s capital Juba, Kiir said it was not his choice to continue staying in power saying opposition groups who took up arms against his government made it the choice for him.
“I want to tell you that it is not my wish to stay for long in this office. The people who have made me stay for long are those who have refused for there to be peace in the country so that people can go for elections. Violence cannot bring about change of systems in South Sudan,” Kiir said, adding that he is “ready to leave power for the youth.”
He urged the opposition groups to put down their guns and give chance for elections so that he can give away the power and said he would be open to stepping down if he is defeated in elections.
“So let these people put down their guns and let’s go for elections; I may be defeated by anybody. And if they are elected, I will welcome it and hand over power to them, and I go,” Kiir said.
Based on South Sudan’s Transitional Constitution of 2011, there were supposed to be elections in July 2015 but a bloody civil war erupted two years early and South Sudan was never peaceful for elections.
