Uhuru: Speed up legal process to end S Sudan stalemate


NAIROBI, KENYA: President Uhuru Kenyatta has outlined various measures required to speed up the process of peace and reconciliation amongst all parties involved in the South Sudan conflict.

Among the measures the President proposed are cessation of hostilities, handling of detainees in humane environment and a quickening the legal process on the same.

He emphasized the need for a transparent and inclusive constitutional review and development process that entrenches democracy.

Said the President, “South Sudan’s legal system must process them as it should, while they are treated humanely and quickly enabled them to be an integral part of the dialogue that will solve the underlying political problems that have brought us to this unfortunate crisis.”

The President was speaking Friday at State House Nairobi during an IGAD meeting.

He urged all armed groups to ensure that evacuation of IGAD citizens and other foreigners is guaranteed by securing all airports and roads.

He also called on all parties in the conflict to liaise with IGAD envoys and Council of Ministers so as to craft a process of dialogue and mediation that leads to agreed political and technical reform to ensure that at no time the country slides back to such a crisis.

President Kenyatta appealed to the African Union, the broader International Community and the United Nations to act immediately to ensure humanitarian aid is delivered to the displaced people and foreign refugees in UN camps inside South Sudan.

The Head of State said the international community needs to support the ongoing IGAD process and position that benefits from the long experience in dealing with regional conflicts.

He also urged the international community to generously support constitutional and other political reforms that will emerge from the ongoing dialogue process.

President Kenyatta said IGAD member States role is critical and must be coordinated.


He proposed the appointment of two experienced envoys who have the trust of the people and leadership of South Sudan.

The President appointed the Kenyan Special envoy for South Sudan General (Rtd) Lazarus Sumbeiywo to be part of the team.

He also urged the Council of Ministers of IGAD member states to continue working with the Government of South Sudan while making contacts with Dr. Riek Machar and other leaders critical to bringing restoring peace.

He said IGAD countries need to coordinate the evacuation of their citizens and monitor their safety.

“All Heads of State and Government here should regard the safety of our citizens as a top priority such that any further endangerment to them should be responded to comprehensively,” President Kenyatta said.

He said, if undertaken, the above measures will ensure the people of South Sudan and the region start 2014 in peace.

Friday’s Summit was attended by the Ethiopian Prime Minister Haile Mariam Dessalgn, Ugandan President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, Djibouti President Ismail Omar Guelleh, Sudan First Vice President Bakri Hassan Saleh, President Hassan Sheikh Mohammoud of Somalia and South Sudan Foreign Minister Dr. Barnaba Marial Benjamin.

The international community which is also closely monitoring the situation in South Sudan was represented at the IGAD summit by European Union Representative on Horn of Africa and Sudan Mr. Alexander Rondos and Ambassador Zhong Jianhua who is the Special Representative for the Government of the People’s Republic of China on African affairs.

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