30/07/2025
JULY 30TH – MARTYRS DAY
On this sacred day, we bow our heads and raise our fists in eternal remembrance. July 30th is more than a date—it is a fire written into the soul of our nation. It is the day we lost our founding father, our revolutionary torchbearer, the lion of South Sudan—Dr. John Garang de Mabior, who perished in a tragic helicopter crash on July 30th, 2005.
But let it be known: his death did not silence the dream—it multiplied it. Like a seed buried in fire, his sacrifice became the roots of our freedom. The blood of Garang and all our brave martyrs soaked the soil of Africa so that a new nation could rise, free and unchained.
July 30th is now consecrated as Martyrs Day—a solemn yet proud reminder of the lives lost in the long march to liberty. It is the day we remember every son and daughter who paid the ultimate price so we could walk on our own land with dignity. From the plains of Bahr el Ghazal to the forests of Equatoria, from the swamps of the Nile to the mountains of the East—our martyrs are not dead. They live in our spirit, our flag, our fire.
And when that flame threatened to flicker. When the heart of the nation was shaken by the loss of its founding general, another lion stood up and took the torch, President Salva Kiir Mayardit, the seasoned warrior, the liberation commander, the son of the soil, stepped forward to carry the burden of a bleeding but hopeful people. The torch of the SPLM/SPLA revolution was placed into his hands—not by ambition, but by destiny.
In the darkest hour, he did not let the fire die. He walked the long and painful road to independence. Under his leadership, South Sudan took its rightful place among the nations of the earth on July 9th, 2011. He stood firm through storms, conspiracies, wars, betrayals, and turmoil—holding the centre of the nation together when many thought it would fall apart.
He may be a man of few words—but his silence hides the weight of a nation on his shoulders. He has guarded the independence we spilled blood for. He has worked to bring peace where war once thundered.
Salva Kiir is not just a president—he is a guardian of the revolutionary flame. He was there when the first shots of liberation rang out. He is here still—holding the line so that the legacy of the martyrs shall not be erased.
Long live the Martyrs of South Sudan!
Long live the legacy of Dr. John Garang de Mabior!
Long live President Salva Kiir Mayardit—the custodian of the flame!
Long live the Republic for which they died!
