Kiir not qualified to initiate national dialogue, says Lam Akol

[Elisabeth Janaina]

Kiir not qualified to initiate national dialogue, says Lam Akol
File photo: Lam Akol
File photo: Lam Akol

A South Sudanese opposition leader who has been a leading critic of
President Salva Kiir reaffirmed his belief Monday that Kiir would be
unsuitable to call for a national dialogue in the country.

"I don't think that Salva Kiir is qualified to call for dialogue
because he dishonoured the peace agreement in July 2016 and caused the
ongoing war. The call for dialogue by Salva Kiir is to cover up his
military operations," Lam Akol said in an interview with Radio
Tamazuj.

The prominent politician, who is now the leader of South Sudan’s
opposition National Democratic Movement (NDM), yesterday said his
group was opposed to the national dialogue initiated by President
Kiir.

He denied reports that they had accepted in principle to join the
dialogue process. “We are saying that there is no need for the ongoing
national dialogue in Juba,” he said.

Lam Akol, a former agriculture minister in Kiir's administration, said
the international community should create a new forum for peace in the
country.

“Now there is no peace because the 2015 peace agreement had died and
it was buried. So the international community should look for a new
inclusive peace process,” he said.

Akol formed his armed movement in September 2016 after resigning from
the unity government in Juba.