Sifuna defends Raila’s appointment as peace envoy for South Sudan
Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) Secretary General and Nairobi County Senator Edwin Sifuna has defended Raila Odinga’s continued involvement in peace initiatives across Africa.
He added that Raila’s influence and experience remain unmatched despite missing out on the African Union Commission Chairperson position.
Speaking during the burial of Beatrice Elachi’s son in Kajiado County on March 29, 2025, Sifuna maintained that Raila’s commitment to fostering regional stability remains unwavering, pointing to his ongoing diplomatic engagements.
“Raila Amollo Odinga, as you may know, is outside the country for international duties,” Sifuna stated.
He emphasized that the former prime minister’s involvement in South Sudan demonstrates that his leadership in diplomatic matters is still in demand.
“They denied us the African Union job, but we will still do that work because there is no one else who can do it. Baba is in South Sudan seeking peace,” Sifuna added.
Raila’s special envoy role
On March 28, 2025, Raila revealed key details of his inaugural meeting with South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir, following his appointment by President William Ruto as a special envoy to the country.
In a statement on his Facebook page, Raila clarified that his mission was backed by the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and focused solely on addressing the escalating political crisis in South Sudan.
“Earlier today, on an IGAD mission, I had a detailed and productive discussion with my brother, H.E. President Salva Kiir, in Juba, South Sudan, regarding the political situation in the country,” he wrote.
Sharing photos of himself with Kiir, Raila expressed optimism about a peaceful resolution to the crisis.
He further noted that he would brief regional leaders, including President Ruto, on the roadmap he had formulated to help South Sudan achieve lasting peace.
“I am encouraged by the possibility of a resolution to the conflict. I will be briefing other regional leaders and President William Ruto on my mission and a possible roadmap to sustainable peace and stability,” he said.
Regional peace efforts
After concluding his mission in South Sudan, Raila travelled to Entebbe, Uganda, for a briefing session with President Yoweri Museveni.
With tensions escalating in South Sudan, including reported aerial bombings by the military, Raila emphasized the urgency of regional intervention.
“Landed in Entebbe, Uganda, for a briefing session with President Yoweri Museveni following my fact-finding mission on the political situation in South Sudan. I remain hopeful that a peaceful way out of the political uncertainty in South Sudan is possible, and further escalation can be avoided,” he stated.
De-escalation efforts
Following the detention of South Sudan’s first Vice President Riek Machar, the African Union (AU) announced its intention to deploy the Panel of the Wise (PoW) to South Sudan.
In a statement on March 27, 2025, AU Commission Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf warned that Machar’s detention could undermine the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS).
Additionally, the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) has also called on all parties to exercise restraint.
UMISS chief Nicholas Haysom said the country risked losing the “hard-won gains of the past seven years” if the world’s newest nation returned to “a state of war.”
“Tonight, the country’s leaders stand on the brink of relapsing into widespread conflict or taking the country forward towards peace, recovery, and democracy in the spirit of the consensus that was reached in 2018 when they signed and committed to implementing a revitalised peace agreement,” Haysom said in a statement released on March 27, 2025.
A return to fighting “will not only devastate South Sudan but also affect the entire region,” Haysom added.
Additionally, the Kenya National Police Service (NPS) announced plans to deploy four specialized officers to South Sudan for a peacekeeping mission as part of the UN Peacekeeping Mission’s Specialized Police Team focusing on anti-cattle raiding efforts.
“The officers will serve under the command of Kioko Munyambu, SSP for a 12-month period. Their mission is to undertake specialised duties in support of peacekeeping efforts, aligning with international policing standards. These officers will join others deployed in the mission area, reinforcing Kenya’s contribution to regional security and stability,” NPS stated on March 27, 2025.
