Kenya has shown worry about recent events in South Sudan after hearing about the arrest of its First Vice President, Riek Machar.

On Thursday, Kenya issued a statement urging all stakeholders to place emphasis on maintaining peace and upholding the current accords as part of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development’s (IGAD) Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS).

“Mudavadi Mudavadi, the Cabinet Secretary for Foreign Affairs, stated that the Kenyan government urges all factions in South Sudan to emphasize peace within their nation by supporting the current peace accords facilitated through IGAD’s Renewed Agreement,” he emphasized.

Mudavadi, concurrently serving as the Prime Cabinet Secretary, advised South Sudanese leaders to show restraint and halt hostilities.

He urged the conflicting sides to adhere to the Revitalized Peace Agreement for the sake of millions of South Sudanese citizens.

Machar, who has been a longstanding adversary of President Salva Kiir, was put under house arrest on Wednesday, as reported by his political party.

House arrest

According to reports from the BBC, the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement in Opposition (SPLM/IO) stated that an armed convoy accompanied by high-ranking security personnel, such as the defense minister, arrived at Machar’s residence in Juba, the capital city, on Wednesday night. This resulted in the disarmament of Machar’s personal guards.

“Legally, Dr. Machar remains under house arrest; however, the security officers originally attempted to remove him from his residence,” stated Reath Muoch Tang, who chairs the party’s foreign relations committee.

Machar and Kiir reached an agreement in August 2018 to conclude a five-year civil conflict that resulted in approximately 400,000 deaths.

Over the past seven years, however, their relationship has grown more tense due to ethnic conflicts and intermittent outbreaks of violence.

The SPLM/IO additionally mentioned that Machar was held along with his spouse, Angelina Teny, who holds the position of South Sudan’s Interior Minister.

Kenya has played a crucial role in regional peace initiatives, notably in South Sudan, and keeps advocating for stability across the area.

The government’s latest appeal comes amid growing tensions in Juba, raising fears of a potential setback in the fragile peace process.

On March 12, the 43rd Extraordinary Summit of IGAD Leaders was held online to discuss the security conditions in South Sudan.

The summit was led by Djibouti’s President Ismaïl Omar Guelleh, who serves as the Chairperson of the IGAD Assembly of Heads of State and Government.

The event was attended by Somalia’s President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, Ethiopia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Gideon Timothewos (on behalf of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed), and Kenya’s National Security Advisor Monica Juma (representing President William Ruto), along with several other notable figures.

In the course of the gathering, the attendees reiterated that the R-ARCSS from 2018 serves as the foundation for the peace process in South Sudan.

They likewise stressed that conversation and debate continue to be the sole methods for addressing disparities.

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