President William Ruto has initiated diplomatic efforts to address the arrest and detention of South Sudan's First Vice President Riek Machar.
In a statement on Thursday, March 27, Ruto confirmed that he had a phone conversation with South Sudanese President Salva Kiir regarding the circumstances surrounding Machar's arrest.
The Head of State further noted that he had consulted with regional leaders to find a resolution to the crisis.
"I had a phone call with President Salva Kiir on the situation leading to the arrest and detention of First Vice President Riek Machar in South Sudan.
"After consultations with President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda and Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed of Ethiopia, I am sending a special envoy to South Sudan to engage, try to de-escalate the situation, and brief us back on the progress made,” he said.
Read More
Earlier, Prime Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Secretary for Foreign & Diaspora Affairs Musalia Mudavadi expressed concern over Machar's detention.
In a press release, he called for restraint and the full implementation of the peace agreements in South Sudan.
Mudavadi urged the involved parties to allow space for peace agreements under the framework of the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS).
“The Kenyan government calls on all parties in South Sudan to prioritize peace in the country by giving room to the ongoing peace agreements under the auspices of IGAD’s Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan (R-ARCSS),” the statement read.
Mudavadi also urged South Sudanese leaders to exercise restraint and work towards lasting peace in the interest of citizens affected by the ongoing political tensions.
“We urge all the leaders in South Sudan to exercise utmost restraint, cease hostilities, and uphold the Revitalized Peace Agreement in the best interests of millions of their people," he concluded.
