South Sudan criticizes Kenya for providing freedom to Machar
July 20, 2015 (NAIROBI) – South Sudan has criticized the neighboring Kenya for allegedly allowing former vice president and current armed opposition leader, Riek Machar, to carry out activities against president Salva Kiir’s government on its soil, but Kenya reacted by dismissing the complaint saying Nairobi was exercising policy of impartiality.
The South Sudanese foreign affairs ministry was overreacting to the widely covered press conference which Machar held two week ago on 8 July in Nairobi in which he called on president Kiir to step down as his constitutional term of office was coming to an end by mid-night of that day.
But senior officials of the South Sudan’s foreign affairs ministry in Nairobi said this could be seen as Kenya taking Machar’s side by allowing him to launch the call on president Kiir to step aside.
“South Sudan authorities are wondering why Dr. Machar was allowed to criticize a sitting president in Kenya. This could be misconstrued to mean that Kenya was taking sides,” James P. Morgan, deputy ambassador to Kenya told the Kenyan Daily Nation on Sunday.
“The people on the ground are confused with Dr. Machar’s comments, especially considering that they were made in a foreign country,” he added.
However, Kenyan foreign affairs’ principal secretary, Karanja Kibicho, dismissed the complaint from the South Sudanese counterpart, saying his country was neutral and should engage with both factions in the conflict.
“Kenya is a neutral party and is keen to help end the conflict,” he told the Daily Nation.
In the first week of July, Kenyan president Uhuru Kenyatta held separate and joint talks with president Kiir and opposition leader, Machar, urging them to compromise and sign a peace agreement to end the war in the young country.
The two leaders while in Nairobi also submitted their position papers to the Kenyan president who serves as rapporteur in the IGAD-led peace process on the war-ravaged South Sudan.
(ST)