South Sudan’s Vice President James Wani Igga said the 2015 peace agreement signed with the armed opposition group is now standing on “one leg.”

Igga said this during a public lecture at the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs in Juba on Wednesday. He appointed out that the ongoing war is tearing the world’s youngest nation into pieces, saying South Sudan leaders will be held accountable if the country collapsed in their hands.

“No, we cannot allow our country to be destroyed in this way. We really have to do something especially leaders of today. There is need for general amnesty and release of all detained civilians,” said Igga.

“If we allow South Sudan to collapse in our hands, we the leaders of today without exception being undersecretary or director, it means you are a leader in that particular government institution,” he added.

The official reiterated his government’s commitment to hold the national dialogue. “We should be committed as members and leaders of this government, and transparency is need in the country,” he said.

In October last year, JMEC Deputy Chairman Ambassador Augostino Njoroge said the peace deal in South Sudan is 'wounded' but not yet dead and he called it the best remaining hope for sustainable peace.

But the opposition group has repeatedly described the country’s fragile peace agreement as “dead.”

Photo: Vice President James Wani Igga speaking about corruption, 5 June 2014. (Radio Tamazuj)