Kiir says he will meet Machar to set date for graduation of forces

JUBA – South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir Mayardit  said Thursday that he will convene a presidency meeting with his first deputy Dr. Riek Machar Teny who doubles as head of the SPLM-IO to set a date for the graduation of the unified forces which has been delayed for some reasons.

The unified forces, according to the revitalized peace agreement, are supposed to be graduated before the formation of the Revitalized Transitional Government of National Unity (R-TGONU) to protect important towns and VIP.

But for some reasons, the parties failed to graduate the forces ad it is just eight months into the end of the transitional period where elections in which the people of South Sudan are to choose their leader, are to take place.

Speaking during a catholic mass prayer at Dr. John Garang De Mabior Mausoleum in Juba on Thursday, Kiir said he is implementing the agreement and will soon convene a meeting of the presidency to set a date for the graduation of the unified forces.

“For the peace agreement, we are implementing it and very soon we are going to have a presidency meeting and in that presidency meeting, we will fix the day for the graduation of the unified forces that are in the training centers,” he said.

‘SOMEBODY PULLING’ FROM BEHIND

The South Sudanese head of state said despite his efforts for realization of peace in the world’s youngest country, someone he didn’t name was pulling him down to derail his efforts to achieve peace in the war-torn country.

“I always say that when you go forward and somebody is pulling you from behind, you cannot reach even five meters you cannot cross. We are implementing the agreement and there people who are not allowing us to go smoothly. They intent to derail us from the road that we have taken,” he said.

“So, Your Imminence if the Holy Father ask you about the implementation of the peace agreement, tell him that the agreement is being implemented but with difficulties. It is with difficulties because this sort of agreement has not been made before in any country in our region,” he told visiting Vatican Secretary of State.

“But we have accepted to implement it because if I was not for peace, I would have not accepted it. I would have not accepted it because in the countries around us or in the countries in Africa, there is not country with five vice presidents,” he promised.