Chief Mediator, retired Lt-General Lazarus Sumbeiywo, and his deputy, Ambassador Mohammed Ali Guyo met Kenya's President Ruto at State House, Nairobi|Courtesy

Kenya’s President William Ruto has said he received a comprehensive briefing from the Tumaini Initiative mediators at the State House, Nairobi, on the evolving political and security landscape in South Sudan.

The report was presented to Ruto by the Chief Mediator, retired Lt-General Lazarus Sumbeiywo, and his deputy, Ambassador Mohammed Ali Guyo.

On his official Facebook and X account pages, the Kenyan head of state wrote that “sustained peace in South Sudan remains a cornerstone of our collective regional stability.”

Ruto added that Kenya reaffirms its unwavering commitment to working together with regional partners and will continue to engage with the Republic of South Sudan in pursuit of sustainable peace, lasting stability, and a secure future for the people of the brotherly nation.

Meanwhile, Ambassador Mohamed Ali Guyo, Deputy Chief Mediator, told Eye Radio that the Tumaini Mediators—led by General Lazaro Sumbeiywo and himself—briefed Kenyan President William Ruto on the current situation in South Sudan.

Acknowledging President Ruto’s role as a Tumaini Principal, the mediators urged for renewed dialogue to resolve political differences.

They also emphasized the importance of addressing the country’s urgent humanitarian needs. The mediators expressed their appreciation for President Ruto’s continued commitment to promoting sustainable peace and stability in South Sudan.

The peace negotiation led by Kenya, which brought on board opposition groups that were not part of the 2018 peace deal, was adjourned for the third time on February 7 without an agreement.

The Tumaini Initiative aimed to resolve South Sudan’s prolonged instability and harmonize fractured political and military actors towards the goal of transitioning the country to democracy and lasting peace.

The Nairobi-led peace negotiations for South Sudan were adjourned in early February at the request of the government delegation.

In an earlier statement, Dr. Martin Elia Lomuro, the rapporteur for the government’s delegation to Tumaini Initiative, mentioned that the team needed to finalize the two extended roadmaps, which were announced on the 21st.

Dr. Lomuro did not specify when the team would return to the negotiation table.

At the time, the parties had agreed to expand the institutions established in the remaining provisions for the implementation of the R-ARCSS, to include the opposition and other stakeholders.

However, in a twist of events, key SPLM-IO leaders, including former Petroleum Minister Puot Kang, who was the deputy head of the delegation to the talks, were arrested following the Nasir incident.

This has brought the implementation of the 2018 peace accord to a standstill.