Kenya’s opposition leader Odinga to act as mediator in South Sudan political stalemate
Kenya’s veteran politician, Raila Odinga is leading efforts to reconcile the warring factions in South Sudan, following the regional body’s proposal that President Salva Kiir holds face-to-face talks with rebel leader Riek Machar.
Odinga has been hailed for his conciliatory and bridge building approach in Kenyan politics and has on several occasions demonstrated mastery in forging alliances with allies and rivals alike. His latest reconciliation with Kenya’s president Uhuru Kenyatta following a chaotic 2017 election that restored stability in the East African nation.
According to Henry Odwar, the lead negotiator from Machar’s team, Kenya’s opposition leader met President Kiir two weeks ago after another round of the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) led talks failed in Addis Ababa.
A meeting that was welcomed by members of Machar’s team who asked that their leader is released from house arrest in South Africa and allowed to participate in the talks.
‘‘We are aware that Raila met President Salva Kiir in Juba, and we are looking forward to a meeting with Dr Machar too. We hope that this initiative is further helped by Kenya by authorising Raila to try and bridge the gap,” Henry Odwar, the lead negotiator from Machar’s side said.
Raila is expected to travel to South Africa this week to meet Machar and further progress towards the actualisation of a face to face meeting with the South Sudan president.
IGAD had earlier said it would release Machar from house arrest if he would agree to denounce violence, not obstruct the peace process and relocate to a country that doesn’t share borders with South Sudan.
IGAD in its statement proposed that the meeting takes place before the African Union Summit to be held on July 1 in Mauritania.
Kiir’s government has welcomed the proposal for a face-to-face meeting, and also endorsed IGAD’s resolution to end Machar’s house arrest.
This initiative by Odinga is expected to complement IGAD’s peace talks which ended prematurely after parties could not agree on a power-sharing structure or details about how to absorb rebel forces into the South Sudan army.
