UPA Spokesperson Lual Dau addresses a news conference in Nairobi. June 9, 2024. (Photo: Lou Nelson/Eye Radio).

South Sudan Opposition Movement Alliance spokesperson said the transitional government delegation has not turned up for the expected resumption of the Kenya-mediated peace negotiations in Nairobi on Monday.

The Chief Mediator of Head of High-level Mediation for South Sudan announced on Sunday that the talks between the South Sudan government and holdout opposition groups will resume today and parties may sign an agreement in two weeks.

Lt. Gen. Lazarus Sumeiywo made the statement after President William Ruto jetted to Juba and held discussions with President Salva Kiir on the resumption of the stalled peace talks, on November 6.

Kiir and Ruto commended the parties for drafting and initializing nine protocols so far and directed the Tumaini Initiative mediation team to reconvene and resolve the outstanding issues within two weeks.

The Heads of State urged the Inter-governmental Authority on Development, IGAD to mobilize resources and goodwill of the international community including the TROIKA and other countries to enable full implementation of the initiative.

But Lual Dau, the Secretary General of SSOMA and other opposition groups negotiating the Tumaini Initiative, said SSOMA, other stakeholders, observers and the international community were all present for the reopening of the talks only for the government delegation to be absent.

He spoke to Eye Radio from the venue of the talks in Nairobi, Kenya this morning.

“Unfortunately, I’m deeply sorry to inform the people of South Sudan that the R-TGoNU delegation to the talks has not arrived at the venue of the talks until the very moment that I’m talking to you, they are not here,” Dau said in an interview with Eye Radio from Nairobi.

“I can tell you that the opposition delegation is here, the stakeholders are here, the observers from the international community are here waiting for the government delegation.”

“As soon as the government delegation arrives here, we will conclude the Tumaini Initiative within two weeks, and that will be an amazing Christmas gift to our suffering people.”

Eye Radio contacted the minister of information and the spokesperson of the government delegation to the Tumaini Initiative, Michael Makuei Lueth to clarify the matter, but his phone went unanswered.

The delay could be caused by the removal of the Special Envoy and Head of Government Delegation to the Tumaini Initiative, Albino Mathom Ayuel by President Kiir relieved last week.