President Salva Kiir Forms New Delegation for Tumaini Talks in Nairobi
President Salva Kiir Mayardit signed an official document on Wednesday about creating a new delegation for peace talks with the holdout opposition groups in Nairobi, Kenya.
President Kiir has appointed Gen. Kuol Manyang Juuk, the senior presidential advisor who also deputizes Kiir in the ruling party SPLM as a head of the government delegation.
“President Kiir has appointed a 15-member negotiating team to travel to Nairobi to negotiate with the holdout group. The new delegation is headed by Gen. Kuol Manyang,” one of the sources confirmed.
According to the sources, Puot Kang Chuol, a senior member of the opposition SPLM-IO and minister of petroleum, has been appointed deputy head of the government delegation.
Dr. Martin Alia Lomuro, a close ally of the president and minister for cabinet affairs, has been appointed the new rapporteur of the government delegation, replacing Information Minister Michael Makuei.
It remains unclear why Minister Makuei has been replaced.
The delegation also includes veteran politician Dr Lam Akol Ajawin, Rebecca Joshua Okwachi, Ambassador Beatrice Khamisa Wani, mining minister Martin Abucha, and energy minister Peter Marcello.
“There are new members and old faces in the government delegation. Actually, the government team comprises of 15 members. The names of the new delegation have already been submitted to Kenya’s President William Ruto so that the talks can resume in Nairobi,” another source said.
Separately, Kenya’s President William Ruto announced Wednesday evening that he received a message from President Salva Kiir through Special Envoy and Minister for Presidential Affairs Chol Ajongo.
“Received a special message from President Salva Kiir Mayardit of South Sudan through Special Envoy and Minister for Presidential Affairs Chol Ajongo, State House, Nairobi,” President Ruto said in a post on X.
He pointed out that the search for lasting peace in South Sudan is of paramount importance to its citizens and the East African region.
“The Tumaini Initiative, which brings together government and opposition parties, continues to offer leadership for this noble task”, he concluded.
