Following the escalating tensions between the opposition in Kenya's neighbouring country South Sudan and its government, President William Ruto has taken a step to help solve the impact in his capacity as the chairperson of the East Africa Community(EAC).
In a statement delivered by the President, he confirmed that he held talks with South Sudan's President Salva Kiir Mayardit to help solve the impasse.
Additionally, the Head of State held talks with the First Vice-President Riek Machar about the the escalating security situation in the country.
According to Ruto, he implored the two to engage in dialogue aimed at fostering peace in the country following the tensions witnessed on Wednesday with the arrest of the nation's Petroleum Minister and several senior military officials allied to Machar.
''This morning, I spoke with President Salva Kiir Mayardit of South Sudan and First Vice-President Riek Machar about the escalating security situation in the country,'' Ruto shared in the statement.
''I implored both leaders to engage in dialogue towards fostering peace in the country even as the region works towards the stabilization of South Sudan under IGAD's Strategic Framework.''
Further Ruto revealed that there were regional consultations by African leaders to help determine the best path forward for the situation in South Sudan.
The development comes after the deputy army chief, General Gabriel Duop Lam, a Machar loyalist, was arrested on Tuesday while Petroleum Minister Puot Kang Chol was arrested on Wednesday alongside his bodyguards and family.
Soldiers from the national defense forces also cordoned off Vice President Machar’s residence in the capital, Juba.
However, no reason was given for the arrests, which came after an armed group allied to Machar overran an army base in the country’s northern Upper Nile state.
Machar, whose political rivalry with President Kiir has in the past exploded into civil war, indicated last month that the firing of several of his allies from posts in the government threatened a 2018 peace deal between him and Kiir.
The deal signed in 2018, had ended a five-year civil war in which more than 400,000 people were killed in Africa's youngest nation.
Meanwhile, Ruto engaged with South Sudan’s main opposition Hold-Out Group on February 20, reaching key agreements on the mediation process for peace talks in the East African nation that included the pushing of the Tumaini Peace Initiative talks to March to facilitate consultations.
''Met the Opposition Hold-Out Group of South Sudan and agreed, at the request of the South Sudan Government delegation, that the mediation process that has been going on in Nairobi adjourns until March 2025 to facilitate consultations that will inform the way forward,'' Ruto shared in a statement.
