Incumbent President Salva Kiir who is also the chairman of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) party on Tuesday welcomed his endorsement as the outfit’s candidate ahead of next year’s general elections.

Addressing thousands of party members and supporters who gathered for the last three days in the Western Bahr el Ghazal State capital, Wau, in a show of solidarity, Kiir said he was gratified to be chosen as the party’s flag bearer for the 2024 elections.

“Am deeply touched by your endorsement of me to be the SPLM flag bearer in 2024 and your continued support for our historic party gives me confidence that we stand together as we go towards elections next year. It is also on this basis that I wholeheartedly accept your endorsement. This is your endorsement and I have accepted it,” he said. “For those people who are still doubting about the SPLM unity, today Bahr el Ghazal has spoken. To our five SPLM party chairpersons in the greater Bahr el Ghazal, please receive my deep gratitude for the confidence you bestowed on me.”

Kiir thanked the people of the four states of greater Bahr el Ghazal for what he referred to as their consistent and historic support of the cause that moved South Sudan forward.

“During the civil war, you sent thousands of recruits to the training camps, you provided food to the SPLA soldiers, and you served as transporters and carried ammunitions and provided intelligence where it was needed to save our war efforts,” he said. “All these sacrifices were not in vain and today we have a country of our own because of your patriotic sacrifice. The SPLM has not forgotten your efforts and I stand here today on behalf of the party. I am here publicly thanking and reassuring you that the SPLM party is stronger and more united than ever before.”

The president said he and the SPLM party are aware of the challenges the country has been facing and that they will be remedied.

“I would like to acknowledge we have had challenges and your party the SPLM is aware of your expectations after independence. At the minimum, you expected schools and health centers, water, support for agriculture including modernizing animal husbandry,” Kiir said. “While we had a plan to address your needs, these plans were interrupted by the senseless war which we fought from 2013 to 2018. War takes away resources from service delivery and its intensity stopped implementation of the government plans and it is for this reason that I signed the revitalized peace agreement in 2018.

 “I did not want it (war) to continue, not because we were defeated, but I thought it was better to stop it,” he added.

President Kiir said that since 2018, despite the challenges, the government managed to initiate road construction projects, including the Juba-Rumbek-Wau highway, which are ongoing.