By John Akoon
Former press secretary in the Office of President Ateny Wek Ateny denied having political influence to oppose the Nairobi peace talks.
Ateny stated that he does not have influence over any party negotiating with holdout groups in the Nairobi peace talks, adding that all the things he wrote regarding the Nairobi peace talks are merely personal views.
“For me, I am not against Tumaini Initiative- simply because I don’t influence any party, directly or indirectly,” Ateny noted.
“What I did say previously about Tumaini was my viewpoint which does not have any authority over any decision to be made about whether Tumaini should be signed or not,” he added.
This comes after the names of current and former government officials were posted by an online user, with allegations that they are undermining the ongoing Tuimaini initiative peace mediation in Kenya.
“These groups [names] are solely fighting Gen. Malong Awan Anei coming back home for individual and collective problems attached to politics and social,” Noted the social media post.
However, Ateny contended that signing the agreement to bring holdout groups on board is a positive gesture that would not be sabotaged.
“To be signing anything that would bring in all the holdouts is good. I want peace agreement for anyone seeking political space if that would lead to building democracy,” he argued.
“Otherwise, what is new in any agreement to be signed? The same search for positions, the same search for access to public funds, the same vices of corruption and you name it. Why would anyone be against the only political method available?” he posed, stressing that the statement posted by online user was concocted.
The Tumaini Initiative began on May 9, 2024, in Nairobi, Kenya, a peace talks between the South Sudan government and the holdout groups that did not sign the 2018 peace accord.
The initiative was facilitated by the Kenyan government at the request of President Salva Kiir.
However, the peace talks were on the verge of collapsing in June when the main opposition party, SPLM-IO, withdrew. They argued that the signed protocol would replace the R-ARCSS.
Last week, the Vice President for the economic cluster, Dr Wani Igga faulted unnamed political figures in the transitional government for resisting the Kenya peace initiative due to fear of losing their jobs to holdout factions.
“There are those among us who rejected the Tumaini Initiative and do not want it to succeed. Everyone fears for their position in the government because they believe that the signatories to the Tumaini Initiative will compete with them for power and even take their positions,” Igga said, as quoted by several media outlets on Friday, September 28, 2024.