Addressing supporters gathered at Juba National Stadium on 16 May, Akol described the large turnout as proof that South Sudanese continued to support Kiir and the SPLM despite persistent political and economic challenges facing the country.
“The presence of these people here today is a testimony that the people of South Sudan love you,” Akol told Kiir during the event. “These people will never turn their backs on SPLM/A.”
The senior ruling party official called on SPLM members across government institutions, the security sector, schools and markets to “stand up and defend the SPLM/A,” saying the movement remained responsible for the country’s liberation and independence.
“We shall defend the movement. We shall defend the SPLM. We shall stand tall for the objective of the liberation struggle,” he said.
Akol also dismissed what he described as rumours that South Sudanese were preparing to protest against Kiir’s leadership, saying the turnout at the event had “shut them down.”
He praised Kiir’s role in both the Anyanya rebellion and the 1983 Sudan People’s Liberation Army/Movement uprising, crediting the president with helping free South Sudanese from what he called “second-class citizenship” under Sudanese rule before independence in 2011.
In one of the most striking lines of the speech, Akol declared in Arabic: “Nas al maderu SPLM umon bi nyorot,” an Arabic phrase which loosely translates to: “Those who dislike SPLM will suffer.”
The remark is likely to attract criticism from opposition figures and civil society activists who have repeatedly accused the ruling party of intolerance toward dissenting political views.
South Sudan has experienced years of political instability and conflict involving factions of the SPLM and opposition groups following the outbreak of civil war in December 2013.
Although a peace agreement signed in 2018 led to the formation of a transitional government, political tensions remain high amid delays in implementing key provisions of the accord, which has been marred by multiple violations, including amendments to key sections amid preparations for the long-delayed elections.
The SPLA Day celebration brought together government officials, members of the organized forces, youth and women’s groups, veterans, and supporters of the ruling party.
