The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has defended the decision of Kenya to host Sudan’s opposition faction during their signing ceremony of the political charter.
According to the statement issued by Prime and Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and its allies align with Kenya’s commitment to peaceful resolutions in conflict situations, pushing back against claims that it is interfering in Sudan’s internal affairs.
The CS further contended that the mediation efforts by Kenya should not be mistaken for partisanship.
“Kenya remains neutral in Sudan’s crisis and is committed to fostering dialogue as a means to end conflicts across the region,” Mudavadi stated.
Kenya’s statement highlights its belief that “sustainable peace can only be achieved through an inclusive process that brings all parties to the table”.
The statement emphasized Kenya’s position that inclusive dialogue is the only viable path to stability in Sudan, where the RSF and its allies are engaged in a brutal war against the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF).
However, critics have argued that the neutrality of Kenya is questionable, given the high-profile nature of the event and President Ruto’s long-standing ties with RSF leader Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo ‘Hemedti’
The response by the Foreign Affairs CS comes after Sudan’s government accused Kenya of enabling the establishment of a “parallel government” by allowing the RSF-backed opposition factions to convene in Nairobi; a move that has triggered sharp criticism from Sudan’s military-led government in Port Sudan.
Sudan has maintained that Kenya is overstepping diplomatic boundaries by facilitating discussions that seek to create an alternative power center outside Sudan.
The optics of the event at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC), a government-owned venue, have only fueled suspicions that Nairobi is tacitly endorsing the RSF’s political ambitions.
The controversy surrounding the Nairobi meeting has heightened tensions not only with Sudan’s military government but also with Kenya’s key allies, including the US, which has sanctioned Hemedti and several RSF commanders for human rights abuses.
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