S. Sudan rebel delegation in Nairobi for talks with Kenyan president

March 20, 2014 (NAIROBI) – A high level delegation of the South Sudan’s rebel group, the SPLM/A In Opposition, are in Nairobi to consult with tKenyan president Uhuru Kenyatta on the ongoing peace process in South Sudan.

The delegation is composed of senior rebel leaders including the former South Sudanese minister of Environment, Alfred Lado Gore and Angelina Teny, wife of the former vice president and leader of the rebel group, Riek Machar.

Machar’s spokesperson, James Gatdet Dak, told Sudan Tribune that the delegation had a successful meeting with president Uhuru Kenyatta on Thursday.

Dak said the meeting discussed a wide range of issues that were vital to the peace process between the South Sudan’s government and the opposition group.

“The meeting with president Kenyatta was cordial. It was focusing on the ongoing peace process and the positive neutral role Kenya should continue to play in mediating the warring parties to resolve the conflict,” he stated.

The rebel officials, he said, reiterated their appreciation to the Kenyan government for the role it played in ensuring the release of the seven former detainees.

He added that the rebel leaders asked the good office of president Kenyatta to further exercise his influence on Juba to release the four remaining political detainees, who include Pagan Amum Okiech, former SPLM secretary general, Oyai Deng Ajak, former minister for national security, Majak Agoot, former deputy minister of defense and ambassador Ezekiel Lol Gatkuoth, South Sudan’s ex-envoy to United States.

Earlier on, he said, the delegation also met with the other senior officials in the Kenyan leadership including the vice president, William Ruto as well as the foreign minister and the special envoy to the peace process, Delmas Otieno.

(ST)