IDPs shelter in a church in Malakal

A Kenyan rights group is requesting President Uhuru Kenyatta to take up the crisis in South Sudan as a Kenya’s own crisis.

The International Friends of South Sudan says Mr Kenyatta should send a Kenyan peacekeeping force to help restore peace in South Sudan.

The group’s chairperson, Simon Kamau, was speaking to the media in Nairobi today.

“International Friends of South Sudan is petitioning his Excellency President Uhuru Kenyatta through the ministry of foreign affairs to take up the South Sudan crisis as Kenya’s crisis and see to it that no more killing are going on,” said Mr Kamau.

“The government should not hesitate to send more peacekeeping forces to save South Sudan from sinking further into this mess.”

Mr. Kamau also said that the talks in Addis were in danger of failing and must be taken over by the United Nations.

He blamed African leaders for taking too long to find a lasting solution to the crisis.

“The silence of African head of states as far as this genocide is concerned casts overwhelming doubt about their commitment in protecting people’s lives,” he added.

“The never-again slogan that followed Rwanda’s genocide about their commitment in protecting people’s lives and properties seems to be a mere political rhetoric by African leaders and IFOSS would like AU to know that their continued delays in containing the situation in South Sudan only creates room for intervention of international actors.”

The call for Kenyan intervention in the South Sudan crisis came a few days after President Kenyatta stated that the region will not allow Rwanda-type genocide in South Sudan.