South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir Mayardit has told his contenders that he is willing to hand over power if he loses to them in an election.
He said it is not his wish to over stay in power and advised those asking him to step down to use constitutional and other democratic means to unseat him.
Kiir who was May 10 speaking at the launch of the Civil Registry, Department of Nationality, Passport and Immigration in Juba, told those advocating for unconstitutional means to force him out of power to organize their political parties and accept to contest in the elections.
“Let these people put down their guns and let’s go for elections; I may be defeated by anybody. And if they are elected, I will welcome it and hand over power to them, and I go,” he said.
President Kiir said the same individuals who accuse him for over staying in power are the ones prolonging it by blocking peace in the country so that people can go for elections. He said violence cannot bring about change of systems in South Sudan.
“What will bring genuine change is elections where people organize their political parties and accept to contest in the elections. I didn’t come into this office by force, I was elected. We campaigned with those of Dr. Lam Akol, Bashir and others, and the SPLM won,” said President Kiir.
Kiir was elected the first President of the Republic of South Sudan after winning his rival Lam Akol with almost 93 percent of the vote.
The South Sudan Constitution states that the President can only be removed from office if his term expires, resign in a public address to the people through the National Legislative Assembly; gets impeached in accordance with the provisions of the constitution; has a mental or physical incapacity based on an official medical report submitted by the Medical Commission to the Assembly for information; or death.
South Sudan will hold general elections on March 13, 2022 according to the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS) 2018.