Four days ago, I authored an open letter in response to President Salva Kiir Mayardit’s powerful peace message, particularly on a paragraph that called upon the holdout groups to embrace peace. My motivation for authoring that open letter stemmed purely from a sense of patriotism, not from flattery of the president or solicitation for any favors.
At a time when peace is South Sudan’s most pressing need, I felt that it was essential to engage with his speech in a manner that reflects honesty and hope because true peace serves as the foundation for political stability, economic revival, justice, and reconciliation.
I understand too that some individuals in the opposition, whose hardline positions stem from ego, tribalism, and a misguided sense of land dispossession, and whose fears are further strengthened and inflamed by foreign jingoism against our beloved country, may find this piece unpalatable. However, it is important to convey the truth without giving a damn about all the ungrateful lots.
Exactly, on July 16, 2025, President Salva Kiir Mayardit addressed the Revitalized Transitional National Legislature. In his address, he did not sound like a politician seeking applause and popularity. He expressed himself as a statesman committed to the pursuit of peace and national progress for his people. His speech was not an empty ceremonial opening of Parliament. It was a reaffirmation of a vision formed during the struggles for liberation and that was later honed through the challenges of statehood.
With calm authority and conviction, President Salva Kiir Mayardit reminded the nation that “South Sudan will not go back to war.” This is the phrase I loved most. It is an assurance that calms the nerves. War victims appreciate this assurance, and they hope it will be translated into action by all the warring factions.
A sensible South Sudanese deciphering this speech from a patriotic perspective will conclude that his statement was not mere rhetoric. Those who know President Salva have already stressed that his speech was well thought of and could be the reincarnation of the resolute voice he is known for, standing for the truth and as a man who has experienced the horrors of war too intimately to romanticize them and who now longs for peace too deeply to postpone it.
In his speech, the president did not just chant peace; he redefined peace as not merely the absence of conflict but as “the presence of justice, healing, and unity.” This redefinition of peace is significantly weighty; it accentuates the fact that reconciliation is not a passive venture; it is an active endeavor that is essential to nation-building.
His call for all parties to the peace agreement and those outside it to recommit without preconditions was a bold declaration that the time for excuses has come to an end. Our people are demanding tangible results, and tangible results do not necessarily come from endless negotiations. They come from a true conviction premised on forgiveness and lowering of egos.
Looking at his speech intently, President Salva has underscored that peace requires more than just a structural framework; it requires a deep, active individual commitment to the oneness of humanity. He even went further to elicit the truth that for peace to reign, it demands a spirit of sympathy, empathy, and understanding. This is why, drawing on the same wisdom that guided him from war to independence, it would greatly enhance his message of reconciliation if he were to contemplate the release of political prisoners that are now languishing behind bars or in confinement in their homes and those convicted of minor offenses. Releasing the political prisoners is a vital ingredient for peace and reconciliation.
I am stressing this point not as a contradiction of justice but to bring forth one of the necessary pinnacles of reconciliation. The pot of forgiveness cannot overflow; it deepens the well from which national healing is drawn.
By taking such a step, the president would convey a powerful message to both the nation and the world: South Sudan does not imprison its future but actively works to repair it. We are well aware that there is a time for everything, including a time to let go, even when we feel wronged for the greater good of the nation.
In spite of the country’s desperate need for peace, we must also reject falsehood. Those who respond to the president’s outstretched hand with bullets and ambushes, those who choose to kill innocent citizens along the roads, and those who fail to pursue peace through dialogue cannot claim to be fighting for the rights of the people. They are not liberators; they are spoilers.
Their act of terror, which includes targeting travelers, looting civilians, and hiding behind intercommunal conflicts, does not promote justice. It undermines it. It does not protect our people. It betrays them.
The country, region, and international community must now act decisively on these actors; they must condemn and identify these people for what they truly are, “spoilers of peace,” and then confront them directly. The prolonged silence from the international community has, in many ways, allowed these crimes to persist. The silence must end.
We have learned from President Salva Kiir that peace cannot be achieved through reckless use of force. The pursuit of peace is tortuous, and it requires restraint and a sense of reason.
Since the time of the annihilation of the army in Nasir, the president has insisted that there must be no return to war. Based on this spirit and the reiteration through his recent address, I still implore him to call off the air bombardments that happened in areas where armed groups conceal themselves among peaceful civilians. I am aware that the government can teach any element that survives on armed conflict a lesson, but if that destroys the innocent communities that are being used as human shields, then it should stop.
Restraint has been one of the greatest attributes of President Salva Kiir Mayardit, always reflected in his merciful actions informed by the many amnesties he issued to even the worst murderers. I believe President Salva understands that innocent communities should not bear the consequences of criminal actions perpetrated by seasoned criminals known to the public and that the state must not mirror the violence it aims to eradicate. This distinction is what sets statesmen apart from strongmen.
The president did not make excuses despite facing an economic meltdown caused by the temporary shutdown of oil production. While the majority of the revenue comes from oil proceeds, that was halted by unforeseen circumstances, in the face of these bottlenecks, he still took decisive action. He instructed the Economic Cluster to prioritize salaries and restore essential services. This event has strengthened the emphasis that true leadership involves confronting challenges with solutions rather than silence.
His renewed foreign policy, reflected in his speech, is commendable. His emphasis on peaceful coexistence and regional cooperation, along with his principled call for lifting sanctions and the arms embargo, is a reflection that the dignity of a sovereign state must be preserved. South Sudan as a sovereign nation must now seek partnerships on equal terms.
His message to Parliament was equally clear: Let this session count—for every South Sudanese child, mother, soldier, farmer, and citizen who looks to us with hope. With this statement, he transformed Parliament from merely a legislative body into a moral institution. He urged lawmakers to rise above party affiliations and individual positions and instead to serve a greater purpose.
His speech should not be regarded as a routine address. It represents a declaration, a clear signal that South Sudan is poised on the brink of its future, with the president prepared to guide the nation forward, not through force, but through faith and determination.
The liberation struggle did not conclude with independence. It metamorphosed into a different challenge. Our struggle today is to free our hearts from bitterness, our politics from vengeance, and our streets from violence.
With President Salva Kiir Mayardit’s steady hand and a spirit of forgiveness grounded in justice, South Sudan has the potential to emerge as a nation that can actively shape its history.
Till then, yours truly, Mr. Teetotaler!
The writer, Dr. Sunday de John, holds an MBA and Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBChB) from the University of Nairobi, Faculty of Business and Management Sciences and Faculty of Medicine, respectively. He can be reached via drsundayalong4@gmail.com
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