Chief Mediator for the South Sudan Mediation Peace Process Lazarus Sumbeiywo| Courtesy

Kenyan President William Ruto, has appointed former Chief Mediator of the then Sudan-Southern Sudan 2005 Comprehensive peace negotiations, Lazarus Sumbeiywo to head South Sudan peace mediation process.

Kenya media reported Thursday that President Ruto has also appointed Ambassador Mohammed Ali Guyo as the Assistant Mediator.

In appointing the two Kenyans, President Ruto said “elections in South Sudan are scheduled by December this year and his South Sudanese counterpart had, therefore, requested him to facilitate talks in Nairobi with opposition groups and other sections of society in that country.”

These include “holdout opposition groups organized under the rubric of South Sudan Opposition Alliance, religious groups and civil society.

President Ruto was cited as saying said he had picked Mr Sumbeiywo as Chief Mediator due to his experience in the South Sudan peace process nearly 20 years ago.

“Based on your wealth of experience and invaluable contribution in negotiating and the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement in 2005, I appoint you as the Chief Mediator from April 1, 2024, and June 30, 2025,” Ruto said.

The talks are meant to achieve “consensus and peace towards the conduct of the election”.

South Sudan is expected to hold its first general election in December 2024, eleven years since it gained independence in 2011.