By Yiep Joseph
President Salva Kiir Mayardit has conveyed a brief meeting with the Liberators during the celebration of the new year, 2026.
According to the statement obtained from the Presidential Press Unit, the head of state and the first lady received the veteran leaders at the state house on Thursday.
The head of state praised the liberators for their efforts that resulted in the independence of South Sudan as a country.
Kiir commended the liberators for their wisdom and support toward peace in the country.
“President Salva Kiir Mayardit, together with the First Lady, Mama Mary Ayen Mayardit, commended SPLM veterans for their heroic sacrifices during the liberation struggle that led to South Sudan’s independence and their unwavering commitment to peace and national unity,” the statement partly read.
The head of state appreciated the liberators for their dedication to liberating the country.
Kiir wishes good health to the liberators, adding that they will continue to be a source of wisdom to the country.
“The President extended his heartfelt congratulations on the occasion of Christmas and the New Year, extending his best wishes for their continued well-being and good health,” the statement read.
According to the Presidential press unit, the veterans expressed their sincere gratitude to the president and first lady for the esteemed invitation, affirming their unwavering support for the nation’s enduring peace and prosperity.
Recently South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir Mayardit called upon South Sudanese to become “champions of peace” and to seek God’s guidance in overcoming the nation’s challenges.
Kiir made the statement during the National Prayer Breakfast hosted on Saturday last week.
The President struck a reflective tone, emphasizing spiritual renewal over politics.
He explicitly set aside political discourse for the occasion, framing the day as one for “the renewal of our hopes in the shared responsibility of building a better South Sudan.”
Reflecting on the country’s troubled history, the president noted that independence was won through “sacrifices, endurance, and prayers.” He said the nation must now revisit those same qualities.
In a direct address to the country’s leadership, President Kiir urged those in authority to serve with “honesty, humility, and accountability.”
He outlined a path for national healing, stating it required “rejecting division, tribalism, hatred, and revenge, and embracing dialogue, forgiveness, and reconciliation.”
The president extended the call for prayer into the practical matters of state, suggesting that divine guidance should inform everything from the protection of citizens to the allocation of national resources.
“Let us seek God’s guidance in our efforts… even in our allocation of our resources,” he said.