16/05/2026
Remarks of the Deputy Governor on the Occasion of 16th May, 2026
Your Excellency the Governor, Gen. Louis Lobong Lojore
Rt. Speaker, Charles Udwar
Hon. Advisors
Cabinet members
Members of Parliament,
Representatives of the International Community presence here
Organized forces of whom we celebrate today
Religious leaders
Civil Society Groups
Teachers and the learners
Business men and women
Traditional Leaders and the Dancers
Ladies and Gentlemen
Good Morning/Afternoon
It is a pleasure to all of us for coming here today to celebrate the 43th anniversary of this historic day, SPLA Day.
The past years have been the most dramatic, moving periods in our history. We have seen our great leaders, students, the homeless, the toilers, the underpaid and unlearned aroused against the marginalization of the southerners by the regime in the Northern Sudan. The struggle was being waged in every corner of Southern Sudan, among every people, by peaceful means, by propaganda, diplomacy, financial pressures, strikes, and even by bullets.
In such occasions, we should also remember our great grandfathers who started the struggles from 1880s against the Anglo-Egytian era, Turkish, Mahaida, through 1947 Juba conference, then Torit mutiny of 1955 through Addis Ababa peace agreement in 1972 then comes the SPLM-A in 1983 that brought the comprehensive peace agreement in 2005, and finally we gain our independence in 2011.
During this period, our people resisted and fought the Arabs against the marginalization of our people.
We have seen men and women sacrifice truth, deny truth, hide truth for a false and negative peace. All of this bears out the teachings of our great ancestors and our great fathers who share the view that everything in the world is in constant change. The beginning becomes the end; today becomes yesterday; the future becomes the past; the young become the old; life becomes death, ideas become realities; and the old gives way to the new.
As we gather here today, the spirit of history is upon us and the future of our great State Eastern Equatoria is before us. We are the keepers of a State called Eastern Equatoria and a Country called South Sudan for our children and for the unborn generations. I call upon you to leave in peace and order among ourselves. We must choose to coexist, we must chose the unity of our Communities, because these communities makes Eastern Equatoria a better place to all.
My dear Statemen and women, the Government of the State under the stwardshiphe of H.E. Gen. Louis Lobong Lojore, is working together with all the partners to the R-ARCSS, the role of this government, is the implementation of the agreement on the resolution of conflict in South Sudan, this government is working hard to bring our people together and deliver services, I call all Communities to cooperate and support this government. I believe through the power of love and unity we can.
It is time to our people to used non-violence to handle our differences. Our goals should be the love of our Community, a Community of peace with itself. Let us use the philosophy of passive resistance to evil and the use of nonviolence in the struggle for good.
I call upon the citizens of this State to stand behind the 2018 Revitalized government under the leadership of the president H.E. Gen. Kiir Mayardid and his colleagues at the presidency to complete the remaining task of the agreement to lead the Nation to December 2026 Election where the people can choose who to govern this Country. Let us continue with the spirit of patriotism and love to our Nation.
My dear people of Eastern Equatoria, our challenge and responsibility as government and people of this State, is to build a Beloved Community. Consider those two words: Beloved means not hateful, not violent, not uncaring, not unkind. And Community means not separated, not polarized, not locked in struggle. This dream for a Beloved Community will require the creation of a community truly at peace with itself.
I would like to remind you that the spirit of our great fathers lives with us and in us.
The current government is talking about a nonviolent revolution, a revolution in values, a revolution in ideas a revolution of agriculture against hunger and not guns.
The sacrifice of the late Dr. John Garang and his colleagues didn't went in vain, their bloods brought us what we called now Republic of South Sudan.
Your Excellency the Governor, ladies and gentlemen, above all else God gave us courage—the power to believe that the spirit of history behind us is stronger than the terror of hatred in front of us.
We must believe that the peace is within us, it can lift us from the lowest valley of hate to the highest mountain of love. Only the peace created among us can make us love one another and live in peace with one another. Only the peace from within us can still the troubled waters in our villages.
To theOrganizedforces, the storms may come. The wind may blow. The thunder may roll. The lightning may flash. And rain may beat down on this old house we call Eastern Equatoria. But we must never, ever leave the house. All of us must stay together and walk hand in hand.
Finally, during the past years, we have joined hands and walked from East to west, from South to North pursuing peace, so let us apply it in our lives. We can’ t control what happens on a global or national scale, but we can control the barriers to peace that exist within our own homes, hearts and within our Communities.
God bless Eastern Equatoria State
God bless our beloved Country South Sudan
Thank you
Hon. Karlo Andrew Akwo
Deputy governor,
Eastern Equatoria State
