Civil society activists Lorna Merekaje (left) and Edmund Yakani. (Photo: Awan Moses/Eye Radio).

A pause on the Tumaini Initiative between the transitional government and opposition groups has prompted concerns among civil society activists fearing that the momentum gained in recent negotiations could be lost forever.

The peace negotiation led by Kenya to bring on board opposition groups that were not part of the 2018 peace deal, was adjourned for the third time on February 7 without an agreement.

The government delegation’s rapporteur Dr. Martin Elia Lomuro said they were returning to Juba to take part in the launching of the extended transitional period, starting on February 22.

This is the third time that the consensus has been adjourned after it was halted in July 2024 over differing perspectives within the transitional government and in December 2024 for Christmas and New Year celebrations.

Deputy Chief Mediator Amb. Mohammed Guyo has said the parties had agreed on the root causes of the conflict in South Sudan when the talks were indefinitely paused.

In response, Lona Merekaje, Secretary-General of the South Sudan Democratic Engagement, Monitoring and Observation Programme (SSuDEMOP), warned that halting the talks at such a critical juncture could exacerbate violence and humanitarian situation, leaving hopes for lasting peace in peril.

“My worry is that the conversation was just starting to get to details. The conversation was just starting to address the core issues,” he said.

“From the time we got independence, we’ve gone through turbulence, and we have never sat down to point fingers at what exactly is happening to our independent country. The moment that was mentioned,  felt like the talk is now gaining momentum. But pausing it might make it difficult to gain that momentum again.”

“My crucial moment is that we should be warned that opportunities can be lost. And Tumaini is a very important opportunity that we should not lose. And our actions can contribute to losing such opportunities. The moment we lose it, due to our negligence, it will never forgive us.”

Addressing the press in Nairobi, Dr. Martin Elia Lomuro said the return of the government delegation to Juba would not hamper the peace process.

Lomuro said some members of the government delegation are part of the National Transitional Committee and High-Level Committee on the 2018 peace implementation. He however did not mention when the delegation will get back to Nairobi for the talks.

On his part, civil society activist Edmund Yakani, encourages the government and opposition teams at the peace talks to leave the culture of rigidity and mitigate their historical grievances for the process to succeed.

Mr. Yakani – Executive Director of Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO) – said politicians from both sides should put the interest of citizens above their own.

He added that leaders should demonstrate spirit of peace by committing themselves to the Tumaini Initiative.

According to him, if politicians don’t change their current attitudes, the country will continue to witness another extension of the upcoming transitional period.

“The only way we can manage to have a tangible result is if politicians from the government and the opposition leave the culture of rigidity, avoid mitigating their historical, political grievances through Tumaini and commit themselves for the best interest of the citizens of South Sudan,” he said.

“It is a question of the attitude of the current political leaders. If we don’t change the current political attitude, we will continue having peace in pieces and we will continue seeing extension whether we like it or not.”