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Stalled Tumaini awaits SPLM-IO to initial additional protocols

Author: Emmanuel J. Akile | Published: August 8, 2024

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

Parties to Tumaini Initiative have agreed on three additional protocols, to be initial once the SPLM-IO rejoins the unity government in the Nairobi peace talks, according to the spokesperson of the South Sudan Opposition Movement Alliance.

Lual Dau said protocols awaiting initialing are on justice and accountability, economy, and constitutional-making process.

“It is a protocol on justice and accountability, protocols on economy, and the protocol on constitutional-making process. Those protocols were discussed by us, the opposition, the stakeholder, and the R-TGoNU.

“All of these were discussed when the IO team was here, we discussed them, all of us together and they are ready for initial.

“The reason that they were not initialed was the fact that the SPLM-IO pulled out from the talks here in Nairobi,” he said.

Mr. Dau went on to say,  that after initialing the three protocols, the parties will embark on discussing responsibility-sharing.

Lual, however, said the responsibility sharing protocol is not of importance to the opposition groups.

“We want to make sure that Tumaini bring a lasting peace in the country, as soon as the SPLM-IO team return and join the R-TGoNU.

“We will be able to initial those three protocols and then embark on the last protocol plus the implementation matrix, ” he added.

Mid last month, parties to the Kenya-led peace process christened as Tumaini Initiative reached an agreement on eight protocols related to the security sector and other areas, signaling key breakthrough in the months-long negotiations.

The protocols were discussed since May 2024 during the peace talks between the government, and the South Sudan Opposition Movement Alliance, or SSOMA and other stakeholders.

The document outlined the Statement of Purpose for Tumaini, Preamble, Security Agreement and Ceasefire, addressing communal violence and proliferation of arms among civilians, and resolutions for land disputes.

Additional protocols include Trust and Confidence-Building measures, Humanitarian Access, and the role of Guarantors to the peace agreement.

 Tumaini stalemate

SPLM-IO, a key signatory to agreement argued that the July 16 initialed Tumani protocols proposed institutions were parallel or replaced some of those under the R-ARCSS.

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.

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.

Following its withdrawal, government delegation to the Tumaini flew to back to Juba and briefed the President on the process.

Two days later, the delegation met with Vice President Dr Riek Machar and resolved that the matter would be addressed at the level of the presidency.

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