The national information minister and government spokesperson has revealed that until Monday morning, none of the presidents in the region invited by President Salva Kiir to witness and grace the graduation of Unified Forces in Juba on Tuesday had confirmed their attendance.
Micheal Makuei told Radio Tamazuj Monday that he could not confirm how many presidents would grace the occasion and who of them would dispatch representatives.
“Up to now, the invited dignitaries have not confirmed their attendance of the graduation of the Unified Forces tomorrow (Tuesday) but the president has invited all the leaders of the East African Community and the regional grouping IGAD which include Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan,” he said. “The others invited are the leaders of Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Somalia, and Sudan.”
“Whether they will be attending or sending their representatives is what we do not know and we will know probably later today,” he added.
Makuei assured the people he said have been doubting the graduation of the forces that it will definitely happen on Tuesday.
“We want to tell the people who have been doubting us about the graduation of the Unified Forces that it will indeed happen tomorrow 30 August,” he reassured. “The troops are now doing their final rehearsals here on the ground and they will be graduated tomorrow.”
According to the minister, the 50,000 troops who constitute the Unified Forces as of now are not in one place but the ones who will be passed out tomorrow are the ones stationed in and around Juba City.
“The forces that are outside will be graduated in their respective areas. The graduation in Juba will be symbolic for all the Unified Forces,” he said. “My message to the citizens of South Sudan, particularly in Juba City, is that they should turn out to attend the graduation of the Unified Forces on Tuesday because this is the implementation of the security arrangements in the revitalized peace agreement.”
Makuei said the passing out of the Unified Forces is a big step in the implementation of the peace agreement and the president decreed that the day be a public holiday.
“It does not mean you should stay in your house but that you should come and attend the function so I appeal to the people to come and attend the ceremony,” he urged.
The information minister also said the SSPDF peacekeeping battalion destined for the Democratic Republic of Congo is ready and that the council of ministers last Friday approved the funds for their deployment.
“Cabinet approved over US$ 6 million for the deployment of the SSPDF peacekeeping force in the Democratic Republic of Congo and they will go when they are ready,” he said.
Meanwhile, SSPDF Spokesman Gen. Lul Ruai confirmed that more than 10,000 out of 27,000 troops in Greater Equatoria, will be graduated in Juba drawn from the training grounds in Central Equatoria State.
“The Unified Forces passing out tomorrow are from the training centers of Gorom, Rajaf, Rambur, and Lologo and they are doing final rehearsals.
Gen. Lul said the army was facing logistical problems occasioned by flooding in some parts of the country and has been unable to deliver uniforms, food, and other items to the training centers.
“In Equatoria, the road to the Owinykibul training center has been destroyed by rains so the Unified Forces there will move to Torit to be graduated,” he said. “In Upper Nile State there is flooding so the Unified forces there will move to Malakal town to be graduated there.”
On when and where the Unified Forces will be deployed, Gen. Ruai said it will depend on the prevailing security situation in parts of the country.
“We have places where there are amplified clashes between civilians and where civilians even fight with the army, so these are the places where the Unified Forces will be deployed,” he said.
Gen. Ruai appealed to the forces who would not be passed out to tomorrow be patient and said their turn will soon come.