South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir called on all citizens to turn out in large numbers on a National Day of Prayer for peace, reconciliation and forgiveness next week.

Addressing the public on Wednesday on the state-owned media, Kiir said the National Prayer Day on 10 March will be an opportunity for all South Sudanese to repent, forgive and make amends with each other for what he called ‘mistakes’ that they may have committed against each other in the last four years.

“Our time as people who aspire for a common destiny is now ripe to turn to God and ask him for forgiveness and blessings. We have not been that perfect and we need to submit ourselves to the Almighty through prayers,” Kiir said.

Kiir directed all state governors to observe the day in their respective capitals.

“We have been going through untold suffering and it is time we should open up all our avenues for our citizens to dialogue and pray together,” the president added.

The president also urged the South Sudanese in diaspora to observe the day in their different locations.

Meanwhile, presidential spokesperson Ateny Wek Ateny, told Radio Tamazuj on Wednesday that there is room for the opposition to participate in the dialogue. But he stressed that the leader of the SPLM-IO Riek Machar will only be welcome once he denounces violence.

The National Day of Prayer will be held at Dr. John Garang Mausoleum in Juba. It will be led by the president. The prayer day comes a few days before the official launch of the three-day National Dialogue that starts on March 15.

Photo: President Salva Kiir