Pro-democracy coalition calls for popular uprising to remove Kiir from power

JUBA — A pro-democracy coalition in South Sudan has called for a nationwide popular uprising to remove President Salva Kiir Mayardit from power, warning that the country is sliding back into full-scale civil war following renewed fighting in several regions and what it described as the deliberate dismantling of the 2018 peace framework.

In a statement released on Monday and shared with Sudans Post, the People’s Coalition for Civil Action (PCCA) said the new year had begun with widespread violence across Jonglei, Upper Nile, Unity and the Equatoria regions, accusing the country’s leadership of presiding over a return to war through political repression and military escalation.

“We had hoped to greet you with wishes of peace and renewal at the dawn of 2026. Instead, the new year has opened with gunfire, bloodshed, and yet another descent into political violence,” the statement said.

“What is unfolding in Jonglei, Upper Nile, Unity, Eastern Equatoria, Western Equatoria, and Lakes State is not accidental, nor is it inevitable. These are not isolated clashes—they are unmistakable warnings that South Sudan has once again been pushed into war,” it added.

The coalition’s call comes amid a rapidly deteriorating security situation in several parts of the world’s youngest country. In Jonglei State, government forces recently lost control of several strategic towns including Waat and Yuai following clashes with the main armed opposition Sudan People’s Liberation Army in Opposition (SPLA-IO).

In Unity State, the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF) Fourth Infantry Division has moved to consolidate control over Bentiu and Rubkona, as well as the key logistical corridor linking the state to the Sudanese border at Heglig. This attempt has sparked clash with the main armed opposition group in the areas of Kubri Jamus and Garia as well as northwest of the state capital Bentiu.

These developments followed the fall of Nasir in early 2025, which was later regained by government forces, and the subsequent detention of opposition leader Riek Machar, events the coalition described as the decisive blow to the 2018 revitalized peace agreement.

The PCCA placed primary responsibility for the renewed conflict on the presidency, arguing that the leadership had exhausted all avenues for reform and reconciliation. In a direct appeal, the coalition called on Kiir to step aside.

“President Salva Kiir must step down—without conditions,” the statement demanded. “He has exhausted every opportunity for redemption. Since 2016, his leadership has produced nothing but broken agreements, repression, destitution of the masses and war. South Sudan cannot move forward while he remains in power.”

The coalition also criticised a decision by what it described as an “expanded presidency” in December to unilaterally amend the peace agreement and schedule elections for 2026, arguing that the move amounted to a formal termination of the transitional period rather than a reform of it.

According to the statement, these political decisions, combined with the arrest of senior SPLM-IO leaders and attacks on cantonment sites, had eliminated any remaining prospects for a peaceful resolution under the current administration.

Addressing citizens directly, the coalition urged non-violent mass mobilisation, warning that continued silence would only deepen the crisis.

“To the people of South Sudan: the moment has arrived. No savior is coming. No agreement will rescue us if we remain silent. Non-violent popular uprising is no longer a choice—it is a necessity. The country is being held hostage by permanent warlords who thrive on fear, division, and despair.”

To halt the violence, the PCCA outlined what it described as non-negotiable demands, including the immediate release of Machar and the revocation of what it called illegal amendments to the peace agreement. It also called on opposition forces to exercise military restraint, protect civilian property and articulate a clear national vision.

The coalition concluded its appeal by portraying the current government as a weakened authority sustained by intimidation rather than legitimacy.

“To the people of South Sudan: the moment has arrived. No savior is coming. No agreement will rescue us if we remain silent. Non-violent popular uprising is no longer a choice—it is a necessity. The country is being held hostage by permanent warlords who thrive on fear, division, and despair,” the statement said.

“The monster before us is wounded, exhausted, and exposed. It survives only because we are afraid to push it down. Let us rise—peacefully, courageously, and collectively—to reclaim our country, our dignity, and our future. The time is now,” it concluded.