Kiir travels to Kampala for inauguration of Ugandan president

JUBA – South Sudan President Salva Kiir Mayardit has this afternoon traveled to the Ugandan capital Kampala to attend the inauguration of President Yoweri Museveni, according to a statement by the presidency.

In January, Museveni who has been in power since 1985 won a heavily contested election amid opposition claims of rigging. The veteran Ugandan leader is expected to be sworn in tomorrow for a sixth term.

In a statement, the presidency said president Salva Kiir left Juba along with the minister of presidential affairs Barnaba Marial Benjamin, and foreign minister Beatrice Khamisa Wani and was seen off at Juba airport by First Vice-President Dr. Riek Machar Teny.

“Tuesday 11th May 2021- His Excellency President Salva Kiir Mayardit left Juba to Kampala, Uganda to attend the inauguration ceremony of Uganda President- elect His Excellency Yoweri Kaguta Museveni scheduled for tomorrow 12th May 2021,” the presidency statement reads in part.

“The President is being accompanied by the Minister of Presidential Affairs Dr. Barnaba Marial Benjamin and the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Beatrice Khamisa Wani,” the statement added.

Kiir’s Uganda trip comes a day after appointing over 500 members of parliament into the Reconstituted Transitional National Legislative Assembly provided for in the revitalized peace agreement.

He is expected to also reconstitute the Council of States in the coming days, according to senior government and opposition officials who said they have direct and sufficient knowledge of the president’s schedule.