Former President Uhuru Kenyatta on Wednesday hosted South Sudan Vice President Rebecca Nyandeng De Mabior at his Ichaweri residence in Kiambu County, in what is seen as a renewed push to mediate peace in the conflict-torn nation.
In a brief statement, Uhuru described the meeting as a “courtesy call,” but the timing and context suggest deeper diplomatic undertones. The visit comes as political divisions and renewed armed clashes in Juba threaten to unravel the 2018 Revitalised Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS).
Uhuru currently serves as the African Union–Kenya Peace Envoy and Facilitator of the East African Community–led Nairobi Peace Process, positioning him at the heart of regional efforts to stabilize South Sudan.
Tensions have escalated sharply following the detention of First Vice President Riek Machar and several senior SPLM/A-IO officials. Their arrest, coupled with Ugandan troop deployments and intensified SSPDF operations, has reignited fears of a relapse into full-scale conflict.
The SPLM/A-IO has dismissed accusations against its leaders as politically motivated, warning that such moves could dismantle the 2018 peace accord. Machar’s suspension and house arrest since March 25 have further strained relations within the fragile transitional government. Attempts by envoys including former Prime Minister Raila Odinga and an African Union delegation to visit him have reportedly been blocked.
President Salva Kiir’s recent unilateral actions, including cabinet reshuffles and the appointment of his daughter Adut Salva Kiir to a senior post, have fueled further discontent within the coalition.
More than a decade after independence, South Sudan’s road to peace remains uncertain. Uhuru’s meeting with De Mabior, widow of the late liberation leader Dr John Garang, signals a possible renewed mediation effort aimed at preventing another descent into chaos in the world’s youngest nation.
