South Sudan’s Vice President today told the congregation at Emmanuel Jieng Episcopal Church in Juba that he is not willing to leave his position to former Vice President Riek Machar, who remains leader of a rebel group.

In remarks to the Dinka-speaking parish, Vice President James Wani Igga said he already once conceded the position of vice president to Riek Machar at the time of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, and will not do so again.

He pointed out that the IGAD proposal to form an interim government was signed by more than seven heads of state and prime ministers including President Salva Kiir of South Sudan, but they rebel leader refused to signed the document.

This was a reference to the Protocol on Principles on Transitional Arrangements, produced at the IGAD summit in August, which was rejected by all of the South Sudanese stakeholders except the government.

Igga said the government delegations has left Juba for Addis Ababa on Saturday to resume negotiations after a temporary adjournment.

He also claimed that the government will go ahead with preparing for elections in 2015 without waiting for the involvement of the other parties whom he accused of not wanting peace.

The vice president compared this to the situation in Sudan, where the Sudanese government is preparing for elections in spite of several ongoing wars. 

File photo

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