South Sudan president in Uganda for regional support

May 12, 2016 (JUBA) – South Sudan’s President, Salva Kiir, visited Uganda on Thursday to drum up regional support to the newly formed transitional government of national unity (TGoNU).

TGoNU was formed two weeks ago following the return to Juba of the leader of armed opposition faction of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM-IO), Riek Machar, who took up his new position as the first vice-president in unity government.

President Kiir, according to the presidential spokesperson, Ateny Wek Ateny, was going to attend the inauguration of Ugandan president, Yoweri Museveni, after his re-election.

He said the president would use the occasion as an opportunity to hold sideline meetings and interact with the leaders from the region to solicit their support to the government of the national unity which he formed after the return of the armed opposition leader.

“The president is traveling to Uganda to attend the inauguration of the president of Uganda but more importantly the occasion will be an opportunity for the president to hold sideline meetings and interact with leaders from the region to ask their support to the government of national unity,” said Ateny.

Ateny explained that the region and the international community were using the delay of formation of unity government as the reason for which they were holding back the support to the government.

“The transitional government of national unity has been formed yet the region and the international community have not come forward to provide the support they have pledged. So the president will therefore use the opportunity to ask for their support now the first vice president has returned to the country and the government of national unity has been formed,” said a presidential aide.

President Kiir returned to Juba on Thursday, but could not give a statement about his visit to Uganda.

(ST)