By Bida Elly David
The Congregants of the Catholic diocese of Torit were so dismayed with the absence of President Salva Kiir in the Centenary celebration saying that his absence was a clear indication that his love for his people was limited.
The faithful expressed their dismay during the one hundred years of faith commemorated at St. Peter Catholic Parish, Torit of Eastern Equatoria State.
On Sunday, large number of populations turned up for an ecumenical and Eucharistic celebration of one hundred years of faith at St. Peter the mother Church of Torit Diocese.
The mass was attended by a number of people from different states, state government officials, traditional leaders and representatives from different communities in the State.
Despite the large number that assembled at St Peter’s ground, the faithful were not happy upon witnessing the absence of President Kiir for the event that occurs once after every one hundred years.
Speaking to No.1 Citizen Daily Newspaper on Sunday, Obure Peter, one of the citizens and a faithful in Torit said that he was very disgraced hearing that the President could not turn up due to national duties.
He said that the President has been attending political meetings more than events of the church knowing well that through the Church he exists.
“All the believers including pagans were ready to hear words of the President concerning the security of the Country. We are indeed sorry to see somebody speaking on his behalf. He is our President and he would have come despite the insecurity the state faces. It is not good as a head of the state,” he said.
Ohure further reiterated that the people expected specific briefing from the President concerning ways and solutions that national the government has planned to ensure calm returns to the highways since they could not stop.
On her part, Joyce Aneno, a faithful also said that people especially women in the camps are willing to come back to the state following the troubles and challenges they faced thus the presence of the President would have manifested ways forward to address the case of the returnees to come home.
“People are suffering in the camps especially us women. We were expecting the President to brief the faithful about his plan with the refugees in the camps. Most of them don’t have transport to come back home and others are starving due to the cut in food ratio,” she said. “The Relief and Rehabilitation Commission cannot fight alone without seeing commitment from the President. Now we missed important words,” she continued.
She however appreciated Louis Lobong Lojore, the Governor of Eastern Equatoria State for having tried his best to address matters concerning insecurity in the State saying that without him, the unknown gunmen would have killed all the people leaving in the villages.
She called on the President to abstain from the tendency of selecting events disrespecting invitation by sending a representation saying that people wanted him in person not delegates.