South Sudan’s Vice President Taban Deng Gai arrived in Mayom County on Friday, marking his first visit to Unity State since being removed as governor in 2013.
Unity State Governor Riek Bim and local residents welcomed Gai, who also chairs the government’s infrastructure cluster.
State Information Minister and government spokesperson Gatwech Bipal Both confirmed the arrival in an interview with Radio Tamazuj on Friday, saying Gai reached Mayom around 3:30 p.m.
When asked about the purpose of the visit, Bipal said Gai was sent by the presidency to promote peace, assess infrastructure and attend centenary celebrations marking 100 years of Christianity in the state.
“In 1925, the first Catholic missionaries arrived in Unity State. On May 11, we will commemorate this milestone,” Bipal said.
Gai made stops in the Bahr el Ghazal region while traveling by road from Juba.
In Mayom, he urged residents to maintain peaceful relations with neighboring Abiemnhom in the Ruweng Administrative Area and praised Governor Riek’s reconciliation efforts.
Gai is scheduled to address Mayom residents Saturday before proceeding to Bentiu, Unity State’s capital. He will represent President Salva Kiir at Sunday’s centenary event.
Samson Lok Tour, chairperson of the Bul Nuer Community Association, said Gai’s visit could bolster peace efforts and curb cattle raids that have plagued the region. Lok also called for road construction linking Unity State’s seven counties, including Mayom, Guit and Leer.
Gai’s visit to Unity State comes amid security and political tensions in the country following the house arrest of First Vice President and SPLM-IO leader Riek Machar on March 26 by President Salva Kiir in Juba.
Gai, who hails from Unity State, is a member of Kiir’s SPLM party and was appointed in 2020 as vice president as part of the 2018 power-sharing agreement signed by Kiir and Machar.