Region committed to restore peace in South Sudan, Uhuru Kenyatta assures Salva Kiir

President Uhuru Kenyatta Saturday held talks with President Salva Kiir of South Sudan whom he assured of the region’s commitment to restore peace and security for the troubled northern neighbor.

The Head of State met with Kiir in his efforts to give the South Sudan peace process a new impetus so that the country can eventually enjoy sustainable peace.

He told President Kiir that all the political players in the troubled country must act to stop the suffering of their people.

President Kenyatta said it was important for the protagonists in South Sudan to move the peace process forward so that the South Sudanese people can eventually enjoy tranquility and start rebuilding their country.

The Head of State met Kiir on the sidelines of the 24th African Union Summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia hours before the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (Igad) members reconvened later in the afternoon today to resume the Sudan Peace talks which were postponed on Thursday.

President Kenyatta said the region had been engaged in the Sudan Peace process since 2013 and will remain focused in the process until the people of the northern neighbour can live in harmony.

He said the protagonists in South Sudan must appreciate that they cannot enjoy their own security unless the people they lead are assured of their peace and security.

President Kiir is locked in a political conflict with his former Vice President Dr. Riek Machar whose side is demanding for a structured transitional government of national unity with a pre-determined ratio of power sharing.

The other issues causing conflict between the two sides include adequate and mutually agreeable political reforms ahead of the all-inclusive elections scheduled for May this year.

The two sides to the conflict are also yet to agree on the restructuring of the security arrangements considering that each side to the conflict has its own armed security forces.

They are yet to work on a method to harmonize the security forces from the two sides.

The two sides in the conflict are also yet to agree on how the massive humanitarian crisis obtaining in the country will be handled.

There are also international concerns that the two sides are yet to embrace calls for total cessation of hostilities.

President Kenyatta also held long discussions with Presidents Yoweri Museveni of Uganda and the President of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Denis Sassou Nguesso on matters of conflicts in Africa.

With Nguesso, President Kenyatta discussed on how to further the Bangui Peace Initiative for the Central Africa Republic (CAR).

President Kenyatta also introduced to President Nguesso his Special Envoy on the Central Africa peace initiative, former House Speaker Kenneth Marende.

Marende briefed President Nguesso on the status of his mediation process among the various factions in the CAR. Marende is being supported in his mediation process by seasoned negotiator, Retired Major General Njuki Mwaniki who served in the DRC during their own peace process.

President Nguesso agreed to send a senior advisor to Nairobi to assist Marende with the peace initiatives in the CAR so that his efforts can be aligned with the Brazzaville Agreement.