Ruto speaks on South Sudan peace process

By DPPS

Ruto expressed optimism that the peace process in South Sudan will succeed

Kenya is committed to the realization of peace in South Sudan and will spare no efforts in making the IGAD sponsored peace process succeed.

Speaking in his office when he met with the special representative of the Chinese government on African affairs ambassador Zhong Jianhua,  Ruto  noted that  President Kenyatta himself has visited South Sudan several times to broker peace the latest being two week ago  when he went to Juba to trying to bring the warring parties together.

Ruto expressed optimism that the peace process will succeed but appealed to the protagonists in the crisis to engage in face to face talks to hasten the process.

He appealed to South Sudan President Salvar Kiir Mayardit and the former Vice President Dr. Riek Machar to engage in the face to face talks so as to resolve some of the sticky issues that are holding the realization of peace in Africa’s newest nation.

“It will be difficult to realize peace in South Sudan without the President and Riek Machar engaging in face to face talks,” he added.

The Deputy President observed that the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) sponsored peace process in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia had slowed down  noting  that other than the ceasefire and allowing of the IGAD  peace monitoring group  in South Sudan , there were still unresolved issues that were holding  realization of peace in that troubled country.

Once again , the Deputy President commended the government of South Sudan for releasing seven political detainees  following Kenya’s intervention , adding  that the move had contributed immensely to  the cooling of political temperatures in that country.

Said  Ruto, “We need to rethink and re-engineer the process, we appreciate diplomatic efforts including from friendly countries like China in supporting the peace process in south Sudan.”

The Deputy President pointed out that Kenya has been involved in the South Sudan peace process for the last forty years culminating in the signing of a Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) that brought about South Sudan’s independence.

He said, “Kenya is a guarantor to the CPA and has appointed General Lazarus Sumbeiywo to mediate among the warring parties and ensure normalcy returns to South Sudan.”

Ambassador Zhong Jianhua who was accompanied by Ambassador of China to Kenya Liu Xianfa said China supports the  peace process in South Sudan  and would wish to see  speedy conclusion to the crisis in that country.