South Sudanese President Salva Kiir has urged the people of Aweil State to welcome the armed opposition leader, Riek Machar and other groups for peace to prevail in the country.
Kiir, while addressing a rally at Aweil State Freedom Square Sunday, vowed to work with the opposition to move the country forward.
“I came to deliver peace to you, embrace it. If Dr. Riek comes with his people, do not say that these are the same people who were fighting us. Welcome them because they are your brothers and sisters,” he said.
Kiir further apologized to the people of Aweil State and South Sudan in general for the civil war that killed tens of thousands of people.
“I must have to apologize first to the people because it is we SPLM [Sudan People’s Liberation Movement] who caused these hardships. We fought for liberation until we liberated the country, and again we fought among each other again,” he said.
The president urged citizens in the state to support his government.
President Kiir was in Aweil as part of his tour to Greater Bahr el Ghazal region which concluded on Tuesday in Raja town.
In September 2018, President Salva Kiir and several opposition leaders, including main opposition leader Riek Machar signed a peace agreement to end the conflict.
A new transitional unity government is expected to assume power in May 2019 before elections three years later.