Mabior John Garang de Mabior at Juba International Airport shortly after speaking to Eye Radio awaiting his flight to Nairobi Kenya - Nov. 3, 2021 - Lou Nelson | Eye Radio

Mabior Garang stated that history will not be kind to the leaders of the transitional government, who claim to act in the best interest of the civilian population, yet their actions tell a different story.

In an interview with Eye Radio on Thursday from Nairobi, Kenya, the son of the late Dr John Garang expressed disappointment over the extension of the peace agreement.

He pointed out that history will remember the leaders of the transitional government as individuals who prioritized personal gain over the welfare of the South Sudanese.

Mabior Garang stated that the leaders have failed to honor their promises due to their self-interest.

On Wednesday, September 18, members of the peace monitoring body, R-JMEC, voted to extend the transitional period until February 2027, despite objections from the Troika countries.

The decision followed a voting process in which 35 out of 42 members and stakeholders of the Reconstituted Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission supported the extension, while 6 members opposed it.

Reacting to this two-year extension of the peace agreement, Mabior Garang expressed disappointment, asserting that the betrayal of trust by leaders will have lasting consequences for the nation.

He emphasized that while these leaders claim to be acting in the best interest of the civilian population, their actions reveal a focus on self-interest and hidden agendas aimed at regime change.

Mabior criticized the leaders for exploiting the prolonged transition to secure their political futures rather than serving the nation’s needs.

“The pages of history will not be kind to the so-called leaders of the National Transitional Committee regime. While they claim to implement an agreement in the best interest of our civilian population, their actions tell a different story,” he stated.

“This is driven by self-interest and hidden agendas of regime change. Instead of serving the public good, they are using this protracted transition to safeguard their vested interests,” he continued.

“This betrayal of trust will echo throughout history, leaving lasting consequences for the nation. History will remember these leaders not for their promises, but for prioritizing personal gain over the welfare and prosperity of the people they were meant to serve,” Mabior concluded.

The extension received mixed reactions from the peace guarantors and the international community.

The US Ambassador to South Sudan stated that his government cannot endorse a status quo that prioritizes the elite over the South Sudanese people.

Ambassador Michael J. Adler expressed deep disappointment over the announcement of yet another extension of South Sudan’s transitional period.

He emphasized that this extension reflects the failure of South Sudan’s leaders to create the necessary conditions for genuine, peaceful, and inclusive elections.

Western diplomatic missions in South Sudan have voiced their disappointment over the two-year extension of the transitional government.