African Union Commission (AUC) chairperson, Mahmoud Youssouf Ali, has stepped in to de-escalate the situation in South Sudan after Raila Odinga revealed that he was denied a chance to meet South Sudan’s First Vice President, Riek Machar, who is under house arrest.
In a statement released by the African Union on Monday, March 31, Mahmoud revealed he had engaged in direct talks with President Salva Kiir.
The AUC chair further revealed the talks were cordial, and the two leaders talked on the importance of embracing dialogue to quell growing tensions in South Sudan.
"After cordial direct talks with President Salva Kiir, the Chairperson of the African Union Commission addressed the evolving political situation in South Sudan and the recent violence in Nasir," the statement read.
Further, Mahmoud revealed plans to dispatch a panel to South Sudan as part of greater efforts to enhance the ongoing mediation. The AUC boss, however, did not reveal the individuals picked to help strike a deal in the war-stricken nation.
“To enhance mediation efforts and support the full implementation of the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS), the Chairperson is dispatching a high-level delegation of the AU Panel of the Wise to Juba to engage with all the stakeholders to de-escalate tensions and promote dialogue,” the statement shared by the African Union went on.
The AU further called on all parties to uphold the provisions of the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS), signed on September 12, 2018.
The latest intervention came after Raila's botched mission saw the ODM party leader allegedly denied the chance to meet Machar, who is under house arrest.
Machar was arrested on Wednesday after a convoy consisting of 20 heavily armed vehicles reportedly stormed his residence in Juba, where they disarmed his security personnel.
Raila was specifically picked by President William Ruto to be part of Kenya’s Special Envoy to South Sudan.
Addressing the press on Saturday, March 29, Raila said he was informed by the South Sudan government that investigations were underway on the killing of top military commander, General Majur Dak.
“I had a lengthy discussion with President Kiir, who told me that there was a killing of a General and over ten other people in the town of Nassir in the upper Nile, and this is what they are investigating. Because of this, he said that Vice President Riek Machar had been put under house arrest as they continue with their investigations,” Raila stated.
Hours after meeting with Kiir, Odinga travelled to Entebbe in Uganda, where he met President Yoweri Museveni.
During the meeting in Uganda, the former Prime Minister informed Museveni about the unfolding events in South Sudan.
