South Sudan President Salva Kiir Mayardit on Wednesday has called for calm and a spirit of forgiveness. Kiir also made a public appearance in the streets of Juba town this afternoon to refute rumors of his death.

“I want everybody to remain calm. As for the parents and the relatives of the victims who lost their lives in this tragic incidents, I want to calm them that let them remain calm and nobody should take law into his or her their hands to go and revenge, it is not time for revenging, it is time for forgiveness even if we get those who have killed people. We will still forgive them because they don’t know what they are doing,” Kiir said.

He was referring to recent ambushes on the Nimule-Juba and Yei-Juba roads.

Kiir went into an open pickup vehicle accompanied by some senior government officials to the neighborhoods of Gudele, Kator, Malakia and Konyo-Konyo.

“I think seeing is the believing and for you to see me when I am said to have been died is the believing that I am alive,” said Kiir after the tour around Juba streets.

“Of course nobody can come to the media to deny his or her own death but this is what you have now subjected me to. I am alive and well. I want to assure my people of South Sudan that what they heard last night and this morning where all fabrications by the enemies of peace.”

Kiir said those who wishing him death don’t want peace. The president said the country has suffered for a very long time and “We would not accept any fighting. If there are elements still among us doing their job in between us, it will be a matter of time, we will handle them.”