Tumaini gvt delegation take notes during Monday's meeting with FVP Dr. Riek Machar|Courtesy photo

The government delegation to Tumaini Initiative on Monday met with First Vice Dr. Riek Machar over his party’ withdrawal from the Nairobi-led peace process last week.

The team comprising the government lead negotiator Albino Mathem Ayuel and the delegation’s spokesperson Michael Makuei among others, reportedly briefed the First Vice President over the matter as the peace process stumbles due to SPLM-IO withdrawal.

It cited the delegation’s spokesman Michael Makuei as saying “the final document and the concerns raised by the SPLM (IO) political bureau that led to the suspension of their participation at the Nairobi talks will be discussed by the presidency this week.”

Makuei reportedly said SPLM-IO’s ” decision to pull out of the talks has affected government engagement with the holdout opposition group, adding that “the delegation to the Nairobi talks is an inclusive government team.”

Meanwhile, the Office of Dr. Machar said Mr Makuei stated that “SPLM (IO) members in the delegation and other members are still in Nairobi awaiting the outcome of the presidency meeting…”

SPLM-IO justification to pull out from the talks

According to the SPLM-IO Political Bureau, it deliberated on the Tumaini Protocols on Tuesday, 16/07/2024 and found that the Tumaini not only repeated provisions of the R -ARCSS or laws but replaced or ran to parallel with those of 2018.

According to peace party,  the initiative had taken the role of a funder,  supervisor, coordinator, convener of a donor conference,  funder manager, monitor of the agreement, guarantor and governing authority.

The opposition also said the Tumaini undermined the sovereignty of South Sudan by establishing five institutions with the head and deputies to be appointed by the regional body, IGAD.

These include the Security Supervision Mechanism, Ceasefire Transitional Security Arrangements Monitoring Mechanism, Reconstituted Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission, National Transitional Committee, and Strategic Defense and Security Review Board to be co-chaired by the parties to the 2018 agreement.

Meanwhile, the SPLM-IO said: “The proposed National Leadership Council usurped the powers of the Presidency, Council of Ministers, the National Legislature and the National Security Council.”