By Deng Machol
Juba – The South Sudan Police force has vowed to swiftly crush a protestors to take the streets of Juba city on the 30th of August.
An online group dubbed the ''People’s Coalition for Civil Action'' has called for a countrywide demonstrations on August 30th to demand the resignation of President Salva Kiir, Dr. Riek Machar, and the entire government, over failure by the leaders to the to usher in democracy and good governance, improve economic wellbeing of citizens.
In a show of force ahead of the said protest planned for Monday, the police -flanked by the National Security Services and army forces, displayed its armory and personnel this morning [Sunday] in Juba.
There is heavy deployment across the Juba city; police officers are armed with AK-47s while others carry bamboo sticks. There are also constant surveillance patrols by officers in National Security services (NSS), military intelligence and police vehicles mounted with machine guns.
The country's Inspector General of Police, Gen. Majak Akech has warned members of the PCCA against going ahead to hold the protest in Juba, vowing to violently crush them.
“We have deployed enough forces, and whoever will come out tomorrow (Monday) to demonstrate will be considered a criminal and we will talk to them in a language they will understand in the field,” Majak told journalists in Juba on Sunday.
He disclosed that mobilizing citizens to go for protest or uprising is a crime.
“Those who are exactly manufacturing this misleading information have not made it official and it’s not permitted by the government,” said Majak. “Illegal meetings whether political and other social gatherings in any hotel or residential areas tomorrow (Monday) are not permitted unless with an official document approved by the security organs."
Gen. Majak assured Juba residents to go about their daily activities or duties without fear.
He further informed the traders across the country not to close their shops on Monday.
“Any trader who will close his shop tomorrow (Monday) will be investigated because he or she might be fully aware or a partner to those calling for a demonstration against the government,” Majak warned.
The People's Coalition group accused the parties to the 2018 revitalized peace deal of failing to implement the accord on time that has caused public frustration.
The East Africa's youngest nation gained her independence from Sudan in 2011 but descended into another conflict in December 2013, is struggling to implement the fragile 2018 revitalized peace deal to end more than six years of conflict that caused economic ruin, killed thousands and displaced four million people both internally and externally.
President Kiir and his rival Vice President Dr. Machar formed the coalition government in February 2020 but the implementation of peace process remains uncertain.