Security has been tightened in the Western Bahr el Ghazal state capital, Wau, ahead of a visit by President Salva Kiir which is expected on Tuesday.
Kiir, who also doubles as the chairperson of the ruling Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM), is expected to hold a political rally and celebrate his endorsement as the SPLM flagbearer for the 2024 elections.
Currently, state governors in the greater Bahr el Ghazal region and senior SPLM officials from Lakes, Warrap, Northern Bahr el Ghazal, Western Bahr el Ghazal state, and Abyei area have already arrived in Wau to receive President Kiir.
Addressing reporters after the state council of ministers in Wau town on Monday, Western Bahr el Ghazal state governor Sarah Cleto, a leading member of the opposition SPLM-IO, said all preparations have been made and that the president is expected to arrive in Wau on Tuesday morning.
“I want to assure all the people of Western Bahr el Ghazal state and the visitors who are coming from different parts of the country that Western Bahr el Ghazal state is stable and friendly and in terms of security, it is 100 percent peaceful,” said Cleto.
She added, “I want to assure everyone that we in the state, we are prepared for the reception of the president, and we are excited to receive him, and in terms of security, we have all our security in the state deployed,” she said.
Sarah, who is also the chairperson for the opposition SPLM-IO in Western Bahr el Ghazal State, said: “Western Bahr el Ghazal is the mother of the greater Bahr el Ghazal region and we are welcoming everyone to our arms and taking care of all our visitors from the other states. I want to reiterate that we are the mother of the democracy where we see all the parties in the state have political space to organize their events because this is a celebration of the SPLM party.”
The state governor called upon the SPLM leadership to allow other political parties in the state to attend their rally, which is expected to be addressed by President Kiir.
“This is a celebration of the SPLM, and all the other parties, if they are also invited, they will be there to support and stand with the president. So we assure the population that we in the state have a political space where all political parties have rights to practice their political activities without any intimidation,” she concluded.