By KURIAN MUSA

South Sudan: President Uhuru Kenyatta is in South Sudan as crisis talks begin to end the violence in Africa’s newest nation.

The President arrived in Juba, the country’s capital, yesterday morning for a day’s official visit. He was received by senior South Sudanese government officials and Kenya’s Ambassador Cleland Leshore.

President Kenyatta, who chairs the East African Community, took the earliest intervention by sending a ministerial delegation to South Sudan, led by Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Amb Amina Mohammed, to kick off mediation.

The high-powered delegation is in talks with the host, President Salva Kiir, on the ongoing political crisis at State House in Juba.

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Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn is also attending the talks.

Come Friday, Intergovernmental Authority on Development Heads of State are set to hold a special summit on South Sudan in Nairobi.

Uhuru set foot at Juba International Airport at 10am as hundreds of Kenyans remain the neighboring nation.

About 200 people from Magenche in Kisii are reported to be in the neighboring country.

Meanwhile, national carrier Kenya Airways will partner with the Government of Kenya to operate two chartered flights from Juba in South Sudan to Nairobi to help evacuate trapped Kenyans.

“This flight is not open for sale and is strictly a charter in order to evacuate Kenyans still in Juba,” read a statement from Kenya Airways.

Further, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade has established a South Sudan Crisis Management Centre at its headquarters in Nairobi to coordinate the operation.

A hotline, (+254) 20 310 325, has been released to reach out to those stranded in South Sudan and for supply of food and water.

President Kiir is involved in a vicious power struggle with former Vice President Riek Machar who was sacked in July.

He accuses Machar of attempting a coup that sparked deadly violence, threatening to destroy the oil-rich juvenile but poor country.