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South Sudanese Traditional Leaders on Tour
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Jacob J. Akol
South Sudanese Traditional Leaders on Tour
(Nairobi, August 18, 2006)
Sixteen traditional leaders from South Sudan and the Nuba Mountain left Nairobi on Thursday afternoon, August 17, for a marathon historic fact-finding tour of South Africa, Botswana and Ghana. Their mission is to observe how traditional leaders in those countries work alongside modern government for good governance and welfare of their peoples.
Their work schedule is heavy: In South Africa, they are to visit the National House of Chiefs in the South African capital, Pretoria, where they will meet local government officials and leaders of the National House of Traditional Leaders.
Tomorrow, Saturday, they are scheduled for Kwandebele to meet with King Makhosoke II and other dignitaries. They return to Pretoria for a Cocktail Party in their honour by the Swiss Embassy.
They then travel on Sunday to the coastal city of Durban, where they will on Monday be received by the King of the Zulus, then return to Pretoria for “Informal Discussion Meeting with Members of the National House of Traditional Leaders”.
They are scheduled for the Botswana’s capital, Gaboroni on 23rd August, where they will spend three gruelling days, visiting the House of Chiefs in Gaboroni, meeting paramount chiefs and meeting Kgosi (chief) Mosadi at her Kgotla (court) in Ramotswa, before the long flight to Ghana via Johannesburg on Monday, August 28.
In the Ghanaian capital, Accra, the South Sudanese leaders are scheduled to meet on Tuesday the President of the House of Chiefs and other members of the house, followed on Wednesday by a long trip to the Ashanti ancient city of Kumasi, meeting along the way Paramount Chief of Akuapem and a stopover at Kibi to meet Okyenhene .
In Kumasi, they will visit the ancient Royal Court of the Ashantehene and returning to Accra on Thursday, August 31, for more meetings on Friday, Septem1, with chiefs and government officials, before catching the long flight back to Nairobi, via Johannesburg, arriving here on Saturday afternoon. A press conference in Nairobi is scheduled for Sunday, September 3. They fly back to Juba on Monday, September 4, for a scheduled press conference with Sudanese media before returning to their homes.
Note: The Gurtong website, www.gurtong.com will post daily reports of the progress of the tour.
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