South Sudanese authorities have been arranging up for the Independence Anniversary celebration to take place tomorrow, 9 July. They set up posters of Salva Kiir by the Mausoleum of John Garang and along the road leading to the gravesite.
Dr John Garang de Mabior was the founder and long-time leader of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM). His burial ground is normally a key centerpiece in commemorations of South Sudan’s liberation struggle and independence day held yearly on 9 July ever since 2011.
Workers were seen yesterday painting fences and setting up posters of the South Sudanese leader Salva Kiir along the route leading to the Mausoleum.
South Sudanese officials have described Salva Kiir as the symbol or ‘image’ of the country. Ateny Wek, the presidential spokesman speaking on 3 January, said Kiir was the ‘image’ of South Sudan.
And the information minister declared last November, “the President of the Republic is the symbol of the people of the Republic of South Sudan. He is the symbol of the government.”
“He is the symbol of the – he is everything in the government of South Sudan,” according to the minister.
Kiir himself has emphasized his permanent role in the government of the country, saying in a speech on 9 May 2014, “I am the president of South Sudan, and I must always remain in that position as the president.”
According to the information minister, Michael Makuei, security arrangements have been made to make sure people celebrate the independence day in peace. The Council of Ministers sat yesterday to review the preparations for the event.
Makuei noted that the main objective for the extraordinary Council of Ministers meeting yesterday was to listen to be briefed on the final preparation for the anniversary event by the ministers of Interior, Defense and National Security.
President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda and President Uhuru Kenyatta have confirmed they will attend, according to Makuei. “We have not yet received confirmation from the Prime Minister of Ethiopia,” he added.
The President of Sudan, Omar Al Bashir, has also been invited but has not yet confirmed his attendance.
Photo: A poster of Salva Kiir on the road leading to John Garang Mausoleum, 7 July 2014