Kiir campaigns

Thousands of supporters turned up on Thursday 25th February to demonstrate their suport for South Sudan presidential candidate Salva Kiir Mayardit who is running on the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) ticket in Juba town.  Hundreds of vehicles crammed full of supporters drove through the southern capital, gathering to listen to speeches at the grave of former rebel leader Dr John Garang who died in a helicopter crash shortly after signing the 2005 peace deal.

GoSS President Kiir launching his election campaign

The SPLM, the former guerrilla group that liberated the semi-autonomous region from over two decades of war, organized the official launch of Kiir's campaign with the campaign slogan “hope for change”. The cheerful crowd shouted "SPLM Oyee" while a helicopter bearing the party flag flew over the multitude dropping Kiir’s posters and small SPLM flags. President Salva Kiir then made an appeal for peace and unity among his people of Southern Sudan.

Kiir, the chairman of the SPLM, is the main contender in the race for president of the oil-rich south. “We have suffered tremendously. Millions of us died,” said Kiir, speaking in Arabic to a supportive crowd of several thousand.“Some of us unfortunately continue to inflict pain on ourselves,” he added, according to an English translation of the speech.

The South has been hit by a series of violent clashes between rival ethnic groups recently, and there are fears that the political election contest could spark fresh violence. “It is my personal call - and the SPLM appeal - for us to reach out to one another, let us heal our wounds, and let us preach harmony and peaceful co-existence,” said Kiir, once a SPLM guerrilla himself leader.

Kiir affirmed that a return to war was not an option. “People have been trying to drag us back to war but we remain committed to peace,” he said. “But we remain capable of defending ourselves if we are attacked.”

Kiir also confirmed that the South’s current vice-president Riek Machar, a deputy chairman of the SPLM, would retain his post if Kiir wins.“Dr Riek Machar is my running mate, and if we win the elections, he will  remain my vice-president in the government of Southern Sudan" announced Kiir, followed by loud cheers.