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Kenyan President Williamn Ruto has met with High-Level Standing Committee for South Sudan in Nairobi where he said he is encouraged by the progress the Tumaini Initiative in restoring peace and stability in South Sudan.

Mr Ruto posted on his Facebook page on Monday after meeting a High-Level Standing Committee for South Sudan, led by Cabinet Minister Martin Elia Lomuro.

in his statement, Ruto said: “Kenya remains committed to supporting its successful conclusion for the benefit of the people of South Sudan.

According to Ruto Minister Elia conveyed a message from President Salva Kiir Mayardit on the initiative without providing any details of the message.

The Nairobi-led peace process came to a halt in August after the SPLM-IO pulled out of the talks after the government of which is is part of, and the hold out groups initialed eight protocols.

The protocols, according to the opposition led by Dr Riek Machar, repeated provisions of the 2018 peace deal and introduced new institution replacing or running parallel to the current ones.

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.

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.

Meanwhile, the SPLM-IO said: “The proposed National Leadership Council usurped the powers of the Presidency, Council of Ministers, the National Legislature and the National Security Council.”

Western diplomats have over the past months expressed support for the Kenyan-led peace mediation process and called for its resumption , emphasizing on an inclusive in the process.