By: Col Dominic Gabriel Mogga Baba

The call by Dr. Riek Machar Teny for the Tumaini Initiative to Centre its talks in Nairobi on the 2018 peace deal is a mess and aimed at maintaining the status quo in Juba without resolving the conflict in the Republic of South Sudan once and for all.

Machar’s resistance towards the proposal by the non-peace signatories to the 2018 peace deal negotiating team in the Nairobi talks to establish a lean government with three to five years transitional period is an indication of lack of will to resolve the conflict in South Sudan from its roots.

Just like the other peace signatories who signed peace accord with Kiir’s administration before Machar could sign peace deal with the regime in 2018 that led to his return to the government, coupled with re-structuring of the whole government to accommodate Machar and members of the other political parties, Pagan Amum,Paul Malong, and all the parties currently participating in the Tumaini Peace initiative in Nairobi have the right to find lasting solutions to the recurring conflicts in the country.

With the unfolding good news from the position of the non-peace signatories in Nairobi calling for a lean government with a three(3) to five(5) years transitional period, there is hope for a more reliable peace agreement that suit most of the demands of the people of South Sudan amidst call by Machar’s party for the discussions of the Tumaini peace initiative to center on the Revitalized Agreement on Resolution of the conflict in the Republic of South Sudan(R-ARCSS) which has not resolved the conflict in the country other than rewarding positions to accommodate power hungry individuals only because they have the guns. Machar should take note that every warring party has its own grievances.

His party is in the government which Kiir represents as president. The hold out opposition groups are different entities with different demands just like Machar’s party and it makes it senseless for the Tumaini initiative to be annexed to the R-ARCSS.

The Tumaini initiative is not meant to amend the R-ARCSS but to negotiate based on the grievances and view of the challenges facing the South Sudanese people and finding lasting solutions to  the conflict in the country.

If the Tumaini initiative in Kenya repeats some of the provisions in the R-ARCSS, it is an indication that Machar’s party share the same grievances and ways to addressing the conflict in the country with the non-peace signatories.

This does not mean the R-ARCSS is being amended. Should it be called a deal between the negotiating parties in Kenya, all political parties, including Machar’s party will have to dance according to the tune of the Tumaini peace agreement. South Sudan and its government is not for one person or party, but for all.

It should be noted further that just like any other peace agreement that was negotiated and caused an overhaul restructuring of the government under president Kiir in South Sudan, The South Sudanese opposition teams have the right to discuss a more inclusive and reliable peace that will incorporate and bring to an end the suffering of the people of the Republic of South Sudan once and for all.

Should the Tumaini peace agreement bare fruits, it will end the current transitional period in Juba then establish a new government under a new agreement. This will end the continuous extension of the government in Juba rather than giving democracy chance for the South Sudanese people to choose their leaders. It will reduce the suffering of the people in the country.

Therefore, following my previous article, comparing it with the unfolding stories surrounding the Tumaini initiative in Kenya, I would like to call upon all warring South Sudanese political parties that have not embraced the Tumaini Peace initiative, the people of South Sudan, greater equatorial and youth from my home county (Kajokeji) particular who are still in the bush with guns and in foreign country spreading hate speech and the war agenda to embrace the Tumaini peace initiative in Nairobi so that together we can negotiate and achieve lasting peace in South Sudan.

Long live the President of Kenya and his delegation to the Tumainin peace initiative, long live Hon. pagan Amum, Long live Gen.Paul Malong Awan, and Long live South Sudan Civil Society organizations. Long live people of the Republic of South Sudan. Peace is certain.

The writer Col. Dominic Gabriel Mogga Baba is a Former Police officer, South Sudan  Police Service, Juba.