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Salva Kiir hails Museveni, as Pope’s Pilgrimage of Peace ends. Pope says “Be the light that shines in the darkness”
Juba, South Sudan | THE INDEPENDENT | President Salva Kiir has expressed deep gratitude to President Yoweri Museveni who he described as “an elder brother who has never let him alone”, after Uganda sent the highest representation to the historic visit of the Pope to South Sudan at the weekend. President Kiir made the remarks during a brief meeting he held with Ugandan Vice President Jessica Alupo before she returned to Uganda after a three day official visit to Juba.
The Vice President returned after attending the National Prayers for Peace Saturday at the John Garang mausoleum. The prayers were led by His Holiness Pope Francis, and attended by thousands of faithful worshippers, Government and religious leaders, including President Kiir and his five Vice Presidents.
In his sermon, the Pope continued his message of peace, calling out to the crowds to “lay down the weapons of hatred” while urging Christians to make “a decisive contribution to changing history. “Let us lay down the weapons of hatred and revenge, and take up those of prayer and charity,” the Pope preached before winding down what has been called a Pilgrimage of Peace.
In this clip, H.E Salva Kiir introduces H.E @jessica_alupo to His Holiness @Pontifex.
"She is representing President @KagutaMuseveni who could not come…." pic.twitter.com/L4C9UEkqFO— Pamela Ankunda (@Pamankunda) February 4, 2023
Museveni has been praised globally, as the architect to the Peace in S.Sudan, following his role and efforts in bringing the warring factions together- in a country that seceded from Sudan in 2011 to for sovereignty.
At President Museveni’s last public engagement in Juba, he (Museveni) emphasized maslaha (interests) over hawiya (identity). This was at a graduation ceremony of 20.000 forces that were drawn from different agencies-in was yet again, another first.
At that event, President Kiir made a pledge of peace saying “ I will never take our people back to war …You are not the military wing of any party. You are now the first national security organ of the Republic of South Sudan.”
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SOURCE: OVP Press team
