This article was last updated on May 25, 2022
Canada: 
Oye! Times readers Get FREE $30 to spend on Amazon, Walmart…
USA: Oye! Times readers Get FREE $30 to spend on Amazon, Walmart…
Hon. Cecilia Oba Tito, the Central Equatoria State Minister of Cabinet Affairs emphasized on the full implementation of the resolutions by the churches on the national day of prayer such as reconciliation, forgiveness and repentance, saying for prayer to be effective, people should return all the property, pieces of land that they owned forcefully back to the owners and the county authority.
She said killing and gossiping should be brought to an end so as to avoid conflicts in the county and the country at large.
She said the reasons for marking this independence anniversary in Yei River County was to conduct the National Day of prayer and also to let the citizens know the achievements and the challenges government is facing.
“The people of South Sudan do not want to go back to war, and if it happens, God and the people of this country will hold the leaders of this country from the high up to the lower level responsible and accountable,” said Hillary Luate Adeba Bishop of the Episcopal Yei Diocese.
The Independence Anniversaries at the state level will be held rotationally from one county to the other yearly.
Different tribal communities from all over the 10 states of South Sudan residing in Yei County filled up Yei Freedom Square with many celebrants having expectations of a better future.
In this second Independence anniversary, the women of Central Equatoria State have realized great improvement on freedom of speech, expression, total participation and representation in the three organs of the government that is, the Executive, Legislature and the Judiciary.
The women however raised concern over social insecurity such as rape and harassments against the women by some individuals in the state and the country at large who are not heavily punished by the law, but rather given light sentences, the sentences should be revised.
According to the Speech of His Excellency the Central Equatoria State Governor, Major Clement Wani Conga read by Stephen Lemi Lokoron, the adviser to the Governor, who was the Guest of Honour at the celebration, the celebration of the second Independence anniversary is a political victory of the heart own political freedom and independence for South Sudanese whose objectives and constitutional requirements, we must strive to fulfil.
The Governor said the annual independence celebration must not be felt as an end to serve but rather an event that underscores, furthers the consolidation of people’s dignity, improve the socio-economic situation of the people and uphold their best freedom.
He added the celebration should be a moment for reflection and intra-personal soul searching where leaders expose themselves to critics and evaluation, this will review the leaders’ responsibilities as individual, to move towards transformation of the country into a progressive nation, in the fulfilment of the people’s socio-economic and political expectations.
The Governor also pined on the some of the national challenges that the country is facing, ranging from lack of unity of purpose, organized insecurity, cattle raiding, lack of Nationalism and patriotism, land grabbing by some powerful individuals in the government, weak execution, inequitable allocation of resources, lack of basic services, poor infrastructures and lack of national cohesion.
He added in order to overcome these national challenges, people should reflect back to the past to lean lessons from mistakes committed and at the same time looking into the national priority.
The Governor reiterated that the International Community has not put enough pressure on Khartoum to respect the agreements it signed with the Republic of South Sudan.
Juma David Augustine, the commissioner of Yei River County and host of the celebration congratulated the people of South Sudan and the Central Equatoria State Government for organizing this second anniversary celebration in Yei River County.
He urged the people and the government to remember the process of national reconstruction and achieving real independence from socio-economic and political marginalization.
Juma called upon all South Sudanese to build consensus around the common focus of rebuilding this war ravaged nation, promote peace and tolerance and use this golden opportunity to achieve an equitable development, eliminate corruption and re-candle the face of the newest country in the world, South Sudan.
He said there is great contribution of the state in improving the education sector in Yei County. Sighting out the construction of Kinji Secondary School whose construction process has slowed down, but the great achievement by Yei Teachers Training collage that showed a national competency by emerging the first among the teachers training collages across South Sudan and in East Africa, which set in the previous examination.
He cautioned and warned those parents, guidance and people who want to spoil the future of young school girls and boys that they will be brought into the books of laws.
On the security situation in the County, the commissioner confirmed heavily security representation in the county.
The local and the State Governments are working hard to put the health facilities in the county in good shape, since Yei Civil Hospital acts a s a referral hospital for the counties of Morobo, Lainya and other counties in the 10 States of South Sudan.
Juma said the roads and infrastructure remain a nightmare, saying the money given through the State Development Committee for Yei-Lasu road, has not impacted the community very muc, hence the road needs a second touch.
He urged the Government to support the local traders to own and control the economy of this Country, helping the farmers with agricultural tools like tractors to produce more food in the country and fight dependency syndrome on imports.
Juma also said it is the interests of the people of Yei County to actively participate in the Constitution Review process, to enable them express their views on what kind of constitution they would like South Sudan to have.
“Let this Independence Day confirm and reaffirms our decisions during Referendum that we shall be total responsible for the reconstruction of this Nation,” said Juma.
The Anniversary celebration ended peacefully with different traditional dances being presented at the Yei freedom Square, which showed the real meaning of being independent.
Be the first to comment