Hundreds of Christians put on white sackcloth and took to the streets of Yei town on Saturday preaching for peace and repentance in South Sudan.

The public demonstration comes after weeks of violence in and around Yei in which officials and soldiers have been attacked and civilians have been arbitrarily detained and killed.

The pastor in charge of the Christian Revival Centre John Sebit Edward quoted from the book of the prophet Jonah saying that God has passed a message to the people of South Sudan to turn away from their sinful ways and repent from their sins.

In his preaching at the Yei Freedom Square, Pastor John Sebit called on the leaders and the people of South Sudan to come before God and seek for his divine wisdom, reconciliation and repentance.

“We want to bring the nation of South Sudan before God by putting on sack clothes as a symbol of humility, wisdom and repentance so that God can forgive us to develop South Sudan together,” he said.

The Christians moved in the residential areas and major streets of Yei town with handheld microphones while others moved on pickup cars mounted with big microphones preaching messages of peace, reconciliation and repentance.

On the same day, meanwhile, the top bodyguard of the Yei River State governor was shot dead by unknown gunmen and two other security personnel were abducted.