The politics of UN intervention in South Sudan: Making Sense of President Kiir’s speech to parliament

By Simon Yel Yel, Juba, South Sudan

South Sudan’s coat of arms, in which the eagle symbolizes vision, strength, resilience and majesty, and the shield and spear the people’s resolve to protect the sovereignty of their republic and work hard to feed it.

August 26, 2016 (SSB) — It was bound to happen sooner rather later. For the government supporters who were holding their breath, waiting to hear what is on president’s mind about the recent adopted United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions on the renewal of UNMISS Mandate and approval of 4,000 strong protection or intervention force; they got what they were waiting for on Monday 15^th August when President Salva Kiir officially inaugurated the Transitional National Assembly.

The business remains as usual; and the pessimists who were speculating the business to be as usual got away with right prediction as the winners of political prediction. To their dismay, the supporters of the government who were expecting their government to be “born again” and look forward to seeing their President firing verbal missiles and incendiary rhetoric Like Hon. Michael Makuei Lueth against the UN, IGAD and US regarding the recent adopted UNSC resolution on sending 4,000 protection or intervention force to South Sudan and the renewal of the mandate of UNMISS, didn’t see any change in business.

The fate of Laurent Gbagbo and Muammar Gadhafi: What the UN, AU and IGAD has in store for President Kiir

By Ariik Atekdit Mawien, Juba, South Sudan

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August 26, 2016 (SSB) — In 2011 when South Sudan was preparing to get its independence from the Muslim dominated and Arab minded Sudan. Countries like Ivory Coast and Libya were badly experiencing the United Nations and United States planned continental coups to undermine Africa.

Alassane Ouattara has been a prominent opposition leader in Ivory Coast intending to take over the country’s leadership from the then incumbent President Laurent Gbagbo. After elections, Gbagbo was declared the president defeating his rival and UN backed politician Mr. Ouattara.

A number of countries, organisations and leaders worldwide claimed Ouattara had won the election. After months of attempted negotiation and sporadic violence, the crisis entered a decisive stage as Ouattara’s forces began a military offensive in which they quickly gained control of most of the country.

Dr. Riek Machar or President Kiir: Who instigated the recent fighting in Juba?

By Mok Dei Gual, London, UK

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August 26, 2016 (SSB) — Before I started to examine some events happened after the signing of the August peace agreement between SPLM in Opposition and the government of South Sudan, therefore I want all readers to recall the speeches of the two leaders when signing the agreement proposal in Addis Ababa. The president Kiir started his speech by saying that, Iam the president of South Sudan and I must always remain in that position as the president, the leader of that country.

He worried about his position as the president instead of thinking about the sufferings of the citizens affected by the civil war in the country. Dr Machar also went on saying that by signing of this agreement, Iam sending the signal that, this conflict must be ended peacefully, I hope the other side will be serious for the implementation of this peace agreement. He believed in the implementation of the peace agreement and restoration of the permanent peace in the country as whole.

SPLM-IO: We are going to review our participation in the ARCISS and TGONU once Riek Machar is back on his feet

South Sudan’s future uncertain as Machar plans pull back from peace deal

FRED OLUOCH Thursday, August 25   2016

Former first vice president of South Sudan, Dr Riek Machar has thrown prospects of stability in the country into further uncertainty after his allies said they were rethinking their role under the August 2015 peace agreement.

The allies said Dr Machar planned a review of the Sudanese Peoples’ Liberation Movement-in-Opposition (SPLM-IO) involvement in the transition government once he recovered from injuries sustained last month.

Sources close to Dr Machar —who arrived in Khartoum on Tuesday afternoon from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) for treatment — told The EastAfrican that the rebel leader was consulting Igad before making his decision known.