Kenya denies fueling South Sudan’s civil war
February 27, 2018 (NAIROBI) – The Kenyan government on Monday denied allegations that the East African nation has been trafficking large quantities of weapons and ammunition into South Sudan.
On Monday, however, the cabinet secretary in Kenya’s Foreign Affair Ministry, Monica Juma denied Kenya’s role in the conflict that has killed tens of thousands of people and displaced over 2 million.
“The allegations by the senior UN official insinuating Kenya’s complicity in trafficking large quantities of weapons and ammunition into South Sudan, are not only unfortunate and misguiding, but lack facts,” Juma said in a statement issued Monday.
She said Kenya is one of the regional countries that have embarked on the process of the revitalization of the Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan, which was signed in 2015.
Dieng was quoted saying peace will be achieved in South Sudan if there are regional and international efforts to leave no further options for South Sudan leaders to stop war and start negotiating.
The UN special adviser said both South Sudan government and rebels have done very little to discipline individuals committing atrocities in the four-year conflict in South Sudan, adding that the country suffers from what he called “total impunity of armed men who have embraced sexual violence as a systematic weapon of war.”
“Guided by its principles of peaceful co-existence with its neighbors and other nations, and the resolution of conflicts/disputes by peaceful means, Kenya’s record is clear with regards to efforts in search for peace and stability in the Horn of Africa,” Juma stressed.
The official reaffirmed Kenya’s longstanding commitment to ensure South Sudan is stable for economic, social and political prosperity.
“Kenya remains committed to peaceful resolution of the South Sudan conflict and will continue to play its rightful mediation role bilaterally and within the framework of Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD),” she said.
Kenya, according to Juma, also engaged the warring parties involved in the South Sudanese conflict to end hostilities, enforce the ceasefire, and resume the implementation of the peace process.
“These efforts paid off with the de-escalation of violent hostilities, intermittent ceasefires and tranquility within the capital Juba and other areas in the country, offering an opportunity for political dialogue among the Parties,” she further stated.
(ST)