South Sudan opposition leader ‘saddened’ over death of renowned lawmaker 

JUBA – South Sudan holdout opposition leader, Dr. Hakim Dario, who leads the People’s Democratic Movement (PDM) has issued a condolence statement expressing sadness over the recent death of renown lawmaker and religious leader Canon Clement Janda who died in Uganda’s Arua district on Monday.

Janda who is widely known for mediating the peace talks between the government and the former Cobra Faction of David Yau Yau in Pibor area in 2014 died from high blood pressure and diabetes in the Ugandan city on Monday, according to his son.

In a statement on Thursday, Dr. Dario said he is saddened over the demise of the renowned lawmaker and highlighted his role to promote world peace and how he is regarded a peace maker by among the international community.

“The Peoples’ Democratic Movement is deeply saddened to come to terms with the sudden death of Canon Clement Guya Janda, which occurred on Monday 8th March 2021 in Arua, Uganda after a short illness. The renown Canon Clement Janda is internationally acclaimed for his services to world peace, humanity and to his people and country through out his lifetime and distinguished career in the church and outside it,” he said.

“PDM deeply mourns the untimely departure of Canon Clement Janda, and there are no befitting words to describe his immense lifetime achievements and contributions to his people, to Africa and the world we live in, served in various roles as General Secretary of All African Conference of Churches (AACC), Executive Secretary of the Commission of Churches on International Affairs at the World Council of Churches (WCC), and as Secretary General of the Sudan Council of Churches to being Honorable Member of Council of States in both Sudan and after independence of South Sudan on 9th July 2011,” he added.

“Canon Clement Janda was no stranger to peace-making, and led Church efforts to negotiate peace between South Sudan Democratic Movement/Army (SSDM/A) and South Sudan Government, which established the Greater Pibor Administrative Area (GPAA), and returned this restless and conflict ridden part of the country to some relative peace for local communities, albeit still without noticeable development in the area.

“In 2018, PDM was greatly honored and humbled to have Canon Clement Janda joining its ranks as a senior Delegate to represent his people and the Movement in the High Level Revitalization Forum (HLRF) peace talks in Addis Ababa, to which he immensely contributed by virtue of his wisdom and vastly invaluable experience and knowledge. The Movement remains deeply indebted to Hon and Canon Clement Janda for lending it his support, stature, leadership and recognition to PDMs’ vision, mission, and the Movement’s strategic goals and objectives for our people and for their corruption-destructed country under the current SPLM politico-military dictatorship.

“Words have deserted us for a befitting tribute to the indelible marks of your handy works and toils etched in our country’s history, in this world and in long-lived memory of your community in Equatoria in particular.

“It is with great sadness the people have lost a rare statesman and elder in you too soon. May his precious soul travel well to be reunited with ancestors in eternity and peace. We shall cherish your memory and PDM conveys our most profound condolences to the wife and family of Canon Clement Janda, his children and loved ones, and the entire country.”