FILE PHOTO: Kalonzo Musyoka (left) meets South Sudan leader Salva Kiir in Juba - courtesy

The visiting Kenyan Special Envoy to South Sudan is meeting with peace party leaders on the progress of the implementation of the 2018 peace.

Kalonzo Musyoka arrived in the capital yesterday.

The peace envoy was received by the Minister of Presidential Affairs, Dr Barnaba Marial and the Deputy Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Deng Dau.

His arrival comes as the parties to the peace deal have not been able to move forward on the graduation of the unified forces.

Besides, the parties are yet to accomplish certain provisions on Chapter one of the peace process especially on the establishment of institutions- both at the national and state levels.

These include formation of cluster committees at the TNLA, state parliaments, and county commissioners, among others.

“[My visit] is to encourage our brothers and sisters in South Sudan to fully realize the benefits that will accrue with the full implementation of the ARCSS, and see His Excellency President Salva Kiir and the First Vice President and others to encourage them,” Musyoka told the state-run TV, SSBC on Wednesday.

“The government of South Sudan has decided to return to the Rome negotiation unconditionally to be able to give everybody a chance.”

The other aim of his visit, Musyoka said, is to consult the government on the resumption of Rome peace talks with the hold-out groups.

Last week, President Kiir announced an unconditional turn to the negotiation table with the non-signatories to the 2018 peace agreement.

But NAS, one of the hold-out groups, threatened to boycott the process saying – Kiir first needed to come up with a clear gender for the talks.

For his part, Deputy Foreign Affairs, Deng Dau, expressed hope on the Kenyan Diplomat’s ability to lure the group to the talks.

“He [Kalonzo] has also been involved so that he can bring the holdout groups that are still not part of the revitalized peace agreement,” said the deputy foreign affairs minister.

“We are happy to receive him with Dr Barnaba Marial, the Minister of Presidential Affairs. And we want to welcome his Excellency Dr Kalonzo Musiaka.”