Kenya's president William Ruot meets South Sudan government delegation at the State House in Nairobi. (William Ruto/Facebook)

President Salva Kiir has submitted the names of government nominees for the peace negotiation with hold-out opposition groups, expected to kick off in Nairobi, Kenya.

On January 23, 2024, Kenya’s president William Ruto said his country was preparing to welcome parties of the Rome peace talks to Nairobi for pre-mediation consultations after parties responded positively to his call.

This came after Ruto accepted President Kiir’s request on December 25, 2023, to host and conclude the remaining phase of the peace talks between the Government of South Sudan and hold-out opposition parties.

The peace effort between the unity government and the South Sudan Opposition Movement Alliance was previously hosted in Rome, Italy under the support of faith-based group – the Community of Sant’ Egidio.

The talks are aimed at bringing on board the South Sudan United Front (SSUF) of General Paul Malong, National Salvation Front (NAS) of General Thomas Cirillo, and the Real SPLM of Pagan Amum, among others, which abstained from the 2018 peace deal.

However, members of the SSOMA alliance are reportedly divided with some of them expressing reservations over choosing Nairobi as a venue for negotiations.

One of the SSOMA political leaders told The City Review newspaper on January 26 that the alliance failed to reach an agreement over the proposed new venue.

“Some of the leaders, I think two out of five don’t have a problem with the venue and actually accepted the Kenyan mediation,” said Amb. Emmanuel Ajawin, the Chairman of the National Democratic Movement Patriotic Front (NDM-PF), as quoted by the paper.

“The majority (NSSOG members) felt that since it is a pre-negotiation consultation and there are a lot of issues that need to be discussed, the first meeting should be held in Rome.”