Kenya sends Raila Odinga to mediate South Sudan crisis

Kenya has appointed former Prime Minister Raila Odinga as a special envoy to South Sudan in a bid to ease escalating tensions between President Salva Kiir and his longtime rival, First Vice President Riek Machar.

The deepening rift threatens to unravel a fragile peace agreement and plunge the country back into conflict. 

Machar’s political party claims he has been under house arrest in the capital, Juba, since Wednesday night—a move that it said nullifies the 2018 peace deal that ended a five-year civil war and established a power-sharing government.

The agreement, already strained by delayed implementation of key provisions—including national elections and the integration of rival forces into a unified army—now faces complete collapse. 

Escalating tensions

The United Nations has expressed grave concern over the situation. A spokesperson for Secretary-General António Guterres warned on Thursday that Machar’s detention brings South Sudan "one step closer to the edge of collapse into civil war." 

The crisis was triggered by recent clashes between government forces and the White Army, an ethnic Nuer militia, in the northeastern town of Nasir. The government accuses Machar’s party of supporting the militia—a claim his allies deny.

In response, Kiir’s forces have detained several of Machar’s top allies, including the petroleum minister and the deputy army chief. 

Tensions have escalated further, with reports of clashes between loyalists of the two leaders outside Juba in recent days. 

Regional leaders consulted

Kenyan President William Ruto, who chairs the East African Community (EAC), confirmed that he had discussed Machar’s detention with Kiir and was dispatching Odinga to de-escalate the situation and provide a comprehensive assessment.

Odinga’s spokesperson, Dennis Onyango, confirmed the former prime minister will arrive in Juba on Friday. 

Ruto added that he had consulted regional leaders, including Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni—who recently deployed troops to South Sudan at the government’s request—and Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, whose country has previously hosted peace talks for South Sudan. 

The international community is closely monitoring the situation, fearing a return to full-scale conflict if mediation efforts fail.