President Kiir Reiterates Commitment To Implement Peace Agreement

By Jok P Mayom

President Salva Kiir Mayardit on Tuesday reiterated his commitment to implement the recently signed Peace Agreement ending the 20 months of conflict in the country.

President Kiir delivered a speech during an address to the Nation from State House in Juba on Tuesday.

“I am committed to peace and the implementation of the agreement in order to overcome the challenges of humanitarian and economic crisis that are facing our people today in the country” Kiir told the citizen through the media, Tuesday.

“Having made our reservations and expressed our disappointment on the provisions of the agreement, I finally signed the peace document with those reservations to return our country back to peace and development”

“With that signature I had fully committed myself and the government to faithfully implement the agreement on the resolution of the conflict in the Republic of South Sudan” Kiir said.

“All the institutions of government in the country shall be bound by this agreement and shall be expected to carry out functions stipulated for them there in” he added.

“I believe you are all aware that the National council of ministers had already endorsed and adopted the agreement and that the National legislature had already ratified this agreement as well” he said.

President Kiir further said that in his capacity as Commander in Chief of the SPLA he has issued a ceasefire order for SPLA troops to stop any military offences in the conflict zone unless on self-defense if they are attacked.

“It is our hope that as the implementation of the agreement gets under way the IGAD Mediators and partners and friends of South Sudan I will take more objectives view of the reservations that are articulated prior to my signing agreement on the 26th of August, 2015” Kiir stated.

“There is no doubt in my mind that the implementation of some provisions of the agreement will be confronted practical difficulties that will make it inevitable to review or amend such provisions”.

He said, implementing the provision of the peace agreement of the resolution of the conflict in the Republic of South Sudan will finally put this challenge to an end.

He called upon all the people of South Sudan to join hands with the government during the transitional period until the general election in 2018 to bring peace to the country.

 “Remember that it is our collective responsibility and love of our country that will make us succeed and feel respected always as one people in one nation.”

Kiir said, as you are all aware I refuse to sign that Peace agreement in Addis Ababa on the August 17th, 2015 that was the dateline because it contained proposals which compromised the sovereignty and territorial integrity of our country.

“I had wanted to consult with my government and the people, the SPLM as the ruling party and stakeholders who form a very important front in our country before signing”.

“On the 26th of August, 2015 after having completed the necessary consultations I became confident that the issues have become very clearer to my government, the people and political stakeholders then I signed the agreement here in Juba though with very serious reservations.”