President Salva Kiir Mayardit said the people of South Sudan do not regret their decision to choose independence from Sudan in 2011.

Kiir said this while delivering his state of the nation address to mark the country’s 6th independence anniversary on Sunday.

“I am confident that if the referendum for independence were to be held again today, the people of South Sudan would still choose to be free,” said Kiir

“This is not to say that the road we have travelled over the last six years has been smooth. The enormous task of nation building takes time, commitment, dedication and stability. It is not a process that happens overnight,” he added.

The South Sudanese leader urged all citizens to choose patriotism, embrace unity and pursue common vision instead of placing individual vision and interests above that of the nation.

He noted that people have powers to change the current situation in a manner that will benefit and develop the country instead of tearing it down to the disadvantage of all.

“We have the power to bring about change that will benefit and develop this nation, the country that we all dreamed to have and cherish. We must embrace a collective vision, and more importantly we must have the courage to pursue it by all means,” said Kiir.

South Sudan gained independence from Sudan on 9 July 2011 as the outcome of a 2005 agreement that ended Africa's longest-running civil war.