Minority Leader says without peace, Kiir’s speech is meaningless
Onyoti Adigo, leader of the opposition in South Sudan's parliament, says that without peace in the country, President Salva Kiir's speech to the nation is meaningless as it will not address the need of the dying people of South Sudan.
Speaking on Wednesday after Kiir's speech to the parliament, Adigo welcomed the speech of the president but questioned whether the measures mentioned by the president will resolve the economic crisis in the country.
“Yes, without peace the economy of South Sudan will not improve, because if we want peace then our economy will improve. It is not the matter of opening the pipelines or oil fields... but the important thing is peace.”
Kiir had blamed other factors for the poor state of the economy, mentioning low global oil prices, oil transit fees, and the “failed coup” of December 2013.
The president also noted that his government has taken steps to secure supplies of commodities to markets at affordable prices to dampen the current high prices. He said these measure will go a long way in alleviating the most acute difficulties the people currently are facing.
Adigo responded, “Without peace what the president is talking now will not materialize and even without peace our friends will not come and help. We help ourselves first and our friends will come and help us for the implementation of peace.”
The minority leader, who is also deputy head of the SPLM-DC party, noted that the parliament has been asked to approve the proposal of Salva Kiir for creation of 28 states, a measure that opposition parties, IGAD and the European Union have described as a violation of the peace agreement.
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