S. Sudan president cuts short 3-day visit over security issues

April 22, 2017 (JUBA) – South Sudan president Salva Kiir on Friday cut short a three-day visit to Kapeota, a town in South Sudan’s Eastern Equatoria state and returned to the capital, Juba.

The decision reportedly follows the advice provided by his security team.

President Kiir, his office said, was expected to hold a series of peace rallies and community sensitization in Kapeota concerning what his administration was doing to end the war and bring peace in the nation.

A source within the presidency said the South Sudanese leader had to cut short his visit as there were other important matters requiring his attention in Juba, citing security issues as being at the forefront.

The official, unauthorised to speak to the media, did not, however, mention whether the president was eventually briefed on security.

Unconfirmed reports claimed Kiir’s visit was cut due to the fighting which erupted at a military base near the state headquarters.

Local officials told Sudan Tribune on Friday that clashes involving government forces against local armed youth took place at Loriok, best known as camp 15. The area is located at the Chukudum-Kapoeta-Torit ‘highway’ junction.

Although it was not immediately clear as to what caused the clashes, military and local sources attributed it to the killing of a local administrative officer by the government forces, resulting in tension and escalation of violence.

“We are now in Torit as part of the force going to Kapoeta to provide protection to the high-level officials who includes the president now in the area but we are now told to stop because the president has cut his visit. We don’t know why but it could be because of the ongoing fighting in Loriok,” said a military officer.

The presidential press secretary, Ateny Wek Ateny, however, said the president had successfully completed his visit after he addressed the population and promoted the two payams of Karukomugie and Katiko into counties.

The number of counties increased from 8 to 10 after the president’s visit.

The president, during the visit, also proposed that a secondary school in Chukudum be named after John Garang, the founder of South Sudan ruling party (SPLM) movement, as a reward for the people in the area for hosting the first SPLM national convention in 1994.

Kiir pledged to build the largest conference hall in Chukudum so that future SPLM conferences and conventions are held there. He further pledged to build a hospital in Kapoeta town to serve the population of the state capital.

Meanwhile, the president donated assorted food items for immediate supply to the people in urgently in need of food. Another donation of SSP400,000 was given to the youth in Kapoeta and a similar amount was given to women groups within the area.

Ateny, however, said he was not aware of any fighting and denied reports that the president cut short his visit due to security-related matters.

(ST)