Gen. Kuol Manyang and Gen Awet Akot: President Kiir Should Step Down to Preserve His Liberation Legacy
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Gen. Kuol Manyang Juuk, senior Politburo Member of the ruling SPLM Party, and one of the few surviving members of the SPLM/SPLA High Command:
“I told President Salva Kiir that it is time for us to relinquish power and give it to the young people and he has been in agreement [with me] because we have been in power since 2005 and now this is 17 years for us leading the government of South Sudan. We could have done anything, but these years have gone, and we have a lot of challenges, political challenges, a rebellion, defections, the country is experiencing insecurity, no development, something that we have not done for the last 17 years, really, are we sure that we can do it tomorrow? We have done our part, in fact, that we have liberated the country, this is a legacy better than anything else. I don’t want to spoil the good legacy that has ended because when I go to the executive, I will go and make mistakes that may even rub out all the good things that I did. Why do I want to be the president, to do what? If President Salva wants to continue is up to him but me, I want to go and sit with my family and leave until I die there.” – Gen. Kuol Manyang Juuk’s interview with the UNMISS-owned Radio Miraya, 15 February 2022.
Gen. Daniel Awet Akot, senior Politburo member of the ruling SPLM Party, and one of the few surviving members of the SPLM/SPLA High Command:
“We fought the war, liberated our people and have the country. Is this not a big legacy to preserve? The young people, the Jesh Amer, and others should take it from us and let us go home. They will continue with the mission and vision of the SPLM. For us, we have done our part and in order for us to be remembered in history, we need to relinquish power and give it to the young people. We are not against Comrade Salva, we are instead protecting him. We want him to go into history with a good name. We want him to be in the league of Comrade Fidel Castro, Comrade Nelson Mandela and many others who fought for freedom and independence of their countries.” – Gen Awet Akot’s interview with the Paris-based Sudan Tribune, 21 February 2022.
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