South Sudan government hands over last four detainees to President Uhuru Kenyatta

By Standard Digital Reporter

NAIROBI, KENYA: South Sudan President Kiir has released four detainees accused of plotting a coup against his government, they were received by President Uhuru on Sunday.

The latest gesture is in line with the release of detainees agreement signed on 23rd January, 2014 in Addis Ababa. The four are General Okiech Pag’an Amum, Ambassador Ezekiel Gatkuoth Lol, General Ajak Oyay Deng, General Dr. Atem Majak Agoot.

"It is my expectation that we in the region can now single-mindedly and without distraction focus on the cessation of hostilities, the opening of humanitarian corridors and on creating the right conditions for those currently in the camps to go back to their homes and farms," said President Uhuru.

"As agreed during our last Summit in Addis, IGAD will embark on the full operationalisation of the monitoring and verification mechanism, the identification of the potential areas of work for the monitoring and verification teams," he said.

He said Kenya welcomes the four and look forward to their participation in the process of reforms and reconciliation in South Sudan.

South Sudan's president Salva Kiir said on Friday he was ready to hold face-to-face talks with rebel leader Riek Machar to try to end more than four months of violence, in a statement released by the Kenyan presidency.

Kiir traveled to Kenya to brief regional leaders shortly after meeting U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry in the South Sudanese capital Juba.

"In the interest of peace in our country, I am willing and ready for face-to-face talks with Machar," Kiir was quoted as saying.

Kerry, on an African trip, earlier phoned Machar to urge him to attend the talks, a U.S. official told Reuters. The rebel leader did not make any commitments to go, but also did not rule it out, the official added.

Thousands have died and more than 1 million people have fled their homes since fighting erupted in December between troops backing Kiir and soldiers loyal to Machar, his sacked deputy.