Pagan Amum (Photo: Courtesy).

The leader of South Sudan Opposition Movement Alliance and other opposition groups in the Tumaini peace initiative is calling on South Sudanese people to rally behind and support the process.

Pagan Amum – who is also the leader of Real SPLM – says the 2018 revitalized peace agreement has not been implemented citing lack of political will among the signatory parties.

According to Pagan, Tumaini can rescue the country from its current deteriorating situation.

He described Tumaini as the only hope for lasting peace in South Sudan.

“My message to the people of South Sudan is to support the Tumaini, the Tumaini is the only rescue plan for South Sudan that exist today. R-ARCSS has not been implemented, cannot be implemented as the parties themselves who signed it.

“President Kiir is saying that R-ARCSS was not designed to be implemented. Dr. Riek Machar is saying that his partners do not have the political will to implement it and they are stuck with it.

“How many transitions, how many extensions are they going to go through without bringing peace to our people? Our people must intensify their struggle to bring peace and Tumaini is the only hope now”, Pagan told Eye Radio from Kenyan capital, Nairobi Tuesday morning.

Last week, the Government Rapporteur to the Tumaini Initiative suggested the inclusion of all armed groups in the Kenya-led peace process to comprehensively eliminate all conflicts in the country.

Dr. Martin Elia Lomuro was addressing the media after an extraordinary presidency meeting to discuss progress and challenges facing the peace talks expected to resume on January 6.

Commenting on the inclusion of all hold-out groups to the Tumaini, pagan Amum said it has been the principle position of SSOMA and other opposition groups.

He also emphasized the need to include all other stakeholders.

“It has always been our position that we need an exclusive talks and we need the inclusion of all the South Sudanese stakeholders from political parties in the government, political parties in the opposition, all the armed groups, all representatives of our civil society, our Church leaders, our women groups, our youth groups for us to rescue our country.

“We in the opposition have actually called for a round-table conference where South Sudanese can sit together and rescue the country. So, we are for inclusive process.”

The Nairobi-led peace process was supposed to resume on Monday, but Pagan Amum said the government has not turned up in what he terms as lack of seriousness from Juba.