General Simon Gatwech Dual the leader of South Sudan's main armed opposition Sudan People's Liberation Movement in Opposition (SPLM-IO) Katgwang faction has raised concerns over Nairobi being ideal for the ongoing peace talks.
The peace talks are mediated by President William Ruto who was given the role by his counterpart Salva Kiir. Ruto is expected to help the South Sudanese government and the political factions reach a consensus.
Gatwech declined an invite to join the peace talks arguing that the city was unsafe, especially for people from his political party.
He revealed that some members had been abducted in Nairobi while others grappled with different security concerns.
The General therefore suggested that the venue should be changed until the Kenyan government addresses the security concerns he has raised and those raised by General Stephen Buay Rolnyang earlier.
"I regret to inform you that I may not be able to attend the ongoing Tumaini initiative because of some allied factors. SPLM/A-IO senior members were abducted by Juba agents from Nairobi in 2016 and other security risks in Nairobi remain high," he stated.
In a letter, Gatwech also complained that the invitation letter had been sent too late and this was evidence that the Kitgwang faction had been excluded from the peace talks initially.
He added that he lived in areas prone to war and therefore made traveling to consult other members a hard task. He also cited difficulty in getting travel permissions.
"It was evident that Kitgwang was not considered in the corridors of power in Juba to participate, while it is known that SPLM/A-IO Kitgwang is the remaining largest opposition in South Sudan" Gatwech stated adding that the faction was committed to resolving the issues in South Sudan.
Despite the concerns raised and declining to attend the talks, Gatwech lauded Kenya who the role it plays in mediating peace agreements.
His concerns come days after Buay alleged that there were plans to assassinate him in Nairobi. He threatened to leave the talks, fearing for his life and those of his family members.
The allegations were however dismissed by Kenyan authorities who are continuing with the investigations.
