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Kenya to start South Sudan’s peace talks on Thursday

Kenyan President William Ruto receives his South Sudan counterpart Salva Kiir at State House, Nairobi on August 19, 2023. (Photo: PCS)

By Mwangi Maina | 01 May 2024

A delegation from the Juba government, led by Albino Mathem, the country’s presidential envoy, arrived in Nairobi on Tuesday, ahead of the scheduled talks.

Kenya is set to start mediation talks between the South Sudan government and its hold-out factions this Thursday in Nairobi, The Eastleigh Voice has established.

President William Ruto, alongside Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) leadership, will launch high-level mediation efforts on May 10.

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“Mediation commences Thursday under the leadership of the chief mediator to build consensus on issues and identify potential common grounds,” Foreign Affairs PS Sing’oei Korir told The Eastleigh Voice on Wednesday morning.

A delegation from the Juba government, led by Albino Mathem, the country’s presidential envoy, arrived in Nairobi on Tuesday, ahead of the scheduled talks.

Mathem was welcomed by Ruto’s Special Envoy for the Great Lakes Region, Charles Keter. Mathem, a prominent South Sudanese politician, has previously faced scrutiny from Kenya’s Anti-Corruption body over an alleged illegal payment of Sh250 million, involving prominent Kenyans for land compensation.

In a statement to South Sudan’s state broadcaster, Minister of Information Michael Makuei, who also serves as Rapporteur during the negotiation process, reaffirmed Juba’s commitment to seeking a peaceful resolution with hold-out groups.

Makuei emphasised that the government’s objectives align closely with the aspirations of the South Sudanese people for enduring peace and stability.

Kenyan nationals have taken prominent roles in the peace campaign in South Sudan, aimed at unifying political figures in Juba ahead of the December elections.

Charles Keter, Kenya’s presidential advisor on Great Lakes Region Affairs receives Albino Mathem, South Sudan’s presidential envoy at JKIA, Nairobi on April 30, 2024. (Photo: South Sudan Broadcasting Coorporation)

President Ruto took over the chair of this peace process- at the personal request of his counterpart Salva Kiir.

Refused to sign peace deal

Although a peace deal was struck in 2018, a number of armed holdout groups refused to sign.

The aim is to get them on board so that elections can be held in December this year.

Ruto’s agreement to lead the process came as a surprise, as he was rejected as an IGAD mediator in the civil war raging in South Sudan’s northern neighbour Sudan.

Ruto appointed Sumbeiywo as the Chief Mediator for the South Sudan mediation peace process in late March.

Sumbeiywo, a retired Lieutenant General, is deputised by Mohammed Abdi Guyo, who has been serving as IGAD Special Envoy to the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden, and Somalia.

In Nairobi, Sumbeiywo will facilitate negotiations and interactions among the parties to achieve "peace and political stability in South Sudan."

He previously played a crucial role in the signing of the comprehensive peace agreement in Naivasha in 2005, which led to the birth of South Sudan in 2011, ending over two decades of conflict.

Maj. General (Rtd) Charles Gituai has been serving as the chairperson of the Reconstituted Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (R-JMEC) since August 2020.

Gituai, a former Kenya Army veteran, was appointed by the IGAD leaders to monitor and oversee the implementation of the Revitalised Peace Agreement in South Sudan.

With the general election in South Sudan just nine months away, uncertainty looms over the political landscape as parties struggle to reach a consensus, while crucial tasks identified by the Gituai-led commission remain unresolved.

The impending election presents a pivotal moment, with the international community closely monitoring South Sudan's future trajectory.

As of the time of press, The Eastleigh Voice had not obtained information on whether the opposition groups had arrived in Kenya for the talks.