What happened
South Sudan President Salva Kiir met with CBN News at his private residence in Juba to discuss faith, war, and peace. Kiir said he attends Sunday Mass regularly and described prayer as a central part of his life.
Reflecting on South Sudan’s long conflict with Sudan, Kiir said southern leaders initially sought dialogue but ultimately took up arms after political, cultural, and religious divisions became entrenched. He said southerners feared pressure to abandon Christianity and live under Islamic law, and sought equality rather than separation.
South Sudan gained independence in 2011, but violence has continued. Kiir said dozens of people died in October during revenge attacks between ethnic groups, and clashes over territory and resources remain a source of instability. He called for an end to revenge killings and fighting among South Sudanese.
With presidential elections scheduled for December—the first since independence—Kiir urged citizens to vote and participate in shaping the country’s future. He said people should abandon grievances and wrongs done to them. When asked directly whether he meant “forgive them,” Kiir replied, “Forgive them.”
Kiir’s eldest daughter, Adut Salva Kiir, who serves as Senior Presidential Envoy for Special Programs, said her father taught her to pray from childhood and that churches provide refuge and dignity to communities affected by conflict, famine, and hardship.
