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Machar and Museveni discuss future of peace in South Sudan

Riek Machar, former Vice-President and leader of the main armed opposition faction, SPLM-IO, met President Yoweri Museveni and discussed future of peace in South Sudan and the region.

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Apparently, the “closed door” meeting discussed the role Uganda should play in supporting full implementation of the peace deal signed in August 2015 between Machar and President Salva Kiir.

“Yes, the two leaders met on Monday evening,” James Gatdet Dak, press secretary of the opposition leader, Machar, said when reached by telephone.

It was said that the meeting took place in Masindi, a town that is 200km north-west of Kampala in Bunyoro region.

It was added that Uganda is one of the guarantors of the peace agreement brokered by the East African regional bloc, IGAD. Also, at the same time a party to the war as it backed President Kiir by deploying troops to South Sudan against the opposition faction led by Machar, it was important that it played a positive role in the implementation of the accord.

Urgently, Uganda deployed thousands of troops backed by air power to help President Kiir fight off opposition forces for the past two years, arguing it was stopping a genocide in the young neighboring country.

However, the peace agreement has called on the Uganda People’s Defense Forces (UPDF) to withdraw from the South Sudanese soil.

The opposition leader, Dak said, he also wanted the Ugandan president to help in persuading President Kiir to revoke his decision of creating 28 states unilaterally. This issue has became an obstacle in the implementation of the peace agreement signed on the basis of the existing 10 states.

Both leaders discussed the necessity to lift the state of emergency in South Sudan as well as importance of promoting relations between Sudan and Uganda in achieving regional peace and security.

“In summary, the two leaders discussed South Sudan and regional peace. The meeting was cordial,” he said, without giving any details of the outcome of the discussions.

“It opened a new chapter between the two leaderships,” he added.

Dak said his boss, Machar, is expected to hold a press conference in Kampala on Tuesday at around 10am local time.

My opinion towards this is that both leaders feel unconditionally love for their country. They are taking their differences and putting thwm aside so that they can finally have some peace. Dak is reaching out to the Ugandan president to help in persuading President Kiir to revoke his decision of creating 28 states unilaterally. It is great that they want to help their countries. In my opinion, it shows a lot of dignity, integrity, and compassion. I am glad that they held this meeting. It was a well-needed meeting for the Sudanese people. I hope that justice is served.