South Sudanese President Salva Kiir has announced that he will seek a new
term in next year's election.
The president made the announcement in Yei River State on Tuesday, as he
disclosed that South Sudanese would go to the poll after the end of the current
interim period.
The poll, said the president, would determine the future of the troubled
nation as the people would make a free choice.
Rebel
leader
President Kiir challenged his opponents, including rebel leader Riek
Machar, to prepare for the elections and called upon armed groups to stop the
war and return home to participate in the democratic exercises.
“We must stop war now and get prepared for 2018 elections in time,”
President Kiir told the chanting crowd.
President Kiir has had a tumultuous reign stretching over 10 years, after
rising to the helm in 2005 following the death of Dr John Garang.
His
deputy
He became an elected president in July 2011 after South Sudanese voted
overwhelmingly in favour of independence from Sudan.
A major fallout between him and his deputy, Dr Machar, first occurred in
2013 sparking a war that mostly took the character of an ethnic Dinka versus
Nuer conflict.
President Kiir is a Dinka while Dr Machar belongs to the Nuer community.
Round of
conflict
The president had accused Dr Machar and his 10 affiliates of attempting a coup
d'état.
Dr Machar denied the allegations and fled, calling for President Kiir to
resign
Months of negotiations under the regional Igad bloc, saw the two
protagonists sign a peace agreement in late August 2015.
The deal saw Dr Machar resume his number two position, only for the two
to fallout again in July 2016, opening another round of conflict.
*AFRICAREVIEW*
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