A team of rebel officials landed in South Sudan’s capital Juba on Monday to prepare for the return of the rebel leader next month and the formation of a transitional government that was agreed in a peace agreement.
President SalvaKiir and his rival, RiekMachar, the deputy president he sacked in 2013 in a political row that blew up into a conflict, signed an accord in August. But both sides have since accused the other of violating the pact with new attacks.
“Our arrival today in Juba is the end of this war, and the public should expect the arrival of my chairman and commander in chief Dr RiekMachar to Juba during January,” said Taban Deng Gai, chief negotiator of the rebel group, known as SPLA-IO.
He was speaking shortly after arriving in Juba, alongside dozens of other rebel officials. About 600 rebel officials are expected to return by the end of the year.
Earlier, rebel spokesman James GatdetDak said the transitional government, or national unity government, would be formed by Jan. 22.
“We hope that with the arrival of the advance team from our side such activities will successfully take off and lead to the timely formation of the transitional government,” he said.
This would depend on how fast other steps agreed in the peace deal were implemented, he said.
The peace deal also included withdrawing military forces from Juba and integrating the police force and army, he said.
The government and rebel factions had been holding on-off peace talks since shortly after the conflict began in mid-December 2013, but several ceasefires agreed in the past two years were violated, often swiftly after any signing.
Michael Shokunbi
What is the need of a peace agreement meant and bound to be broken over again, these selfish opportunist who pretends and mislead, bunch of unworthy mis leaders, genuine leadership died with John Garang, the man who wholeheartedly, fought the the course of the South Sudanese people, wrestled them from the clutches of the hegemonic feudal lords of the north
I have written elsewhere that, history will not forgive John Garang for loosening his guards, allowing himself to be consigned to the history of unfinished venture, via untimely death, opening the way for vultures of characteristic clueless black African mismanagers, leaving behind, the people he fought throughout his life to protect, now left vulnerable susceptible to all forms of abuses and misdirection, by no other than self glorify fiefdomites, typical African calculus in all forms and shapes
Both illegitimate government in Juba with self appointed rebel master, goes after innocent helpless flocks, maimed murder impoverished southern Sudanese for their own endless inordinate ambitions for their ignoble ends, they outwit each other in ill intentions
What is the crux of the matter, you will want to ask?, nothing but, control of state resources for personal aggrandizement
When will Africa get out of typical jungle mentality, you may also want to ask?, never, i can assure you, even the most recent state trying to shed the toga of colonialism is fast receding into the regiment of disorganization, South Africa is being plunged into the abyss, you need not look far or beyond the immediate decade how she will become. all signs stares us in the face
Whilst the Eiffel tower in Paris, the big Ben in London and couple of other landmarks all over the world are still standing to magnificent glory of their various lands, Zimbabwe Robert Mugabe is thinking backward to make the Chinese Yuan, his country’s national currency, the world’s rated 8th, jettison world’s best. What in the world is wrong with the black man?
Robert Mugabe may pass for Africa or black worlds monument or animated symbol of typical Africaness, the face of monumental failure
Here i go again, you may want to ask, is the black race, the much touted cursed one?