Kenya Backed Tumaini Peace Talks Officially Collapse

(JUBA) – The Government of South Sudan has officially declared the Kenya backed Tumaini Peace Initiative defunct, citing deviations from its original mandate and accusing its backers of undermining the existing 2018 peace agreement.

The announcement comes months after the process was quietly suspended without results.

Speaking to reporters on behalf of the government delegation, Presidential Advisor Kuol Manyang Juuk said the Tumaini Initiative had strayed significantly from its intended purpose and appeared to compete with, rather than complement, the Revitalised Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS), which was signed in 2018.

“The R-ARCSS has not been dissolved, so it cannot be replaced by Tumaini,” Juuk stated. “Eighty per cent of what Tumaini proposes already exists in the R-ARCSS. The remaining ten per cent was not included in the agreement for very good reasons. You build on the existing foundation, not tear it down.”

The Tumaini Initiative was launched in December 2023, at the request of President Salva Kiir, and with the support of the Kenyan government.

It aimed to revitalise South Sudan’s peace process by incorporating newly formed opposition groups, including the United People’s Alliance. However, Juba now accuses the initiative of legitimising rebellion and jeopardising an already functioning peace framework.

Juuk claimed that supporters of Tumaini intended to override the R-ARCSS and assume political control through a parallel process.

“They wanted to eliminate the R-ARCSS, let Tumaini take over, and come in as the authority of the land,” he said. “But most of these individuals were part of the former government and were involved in the policies they now criticise.”

In addition to challenging the political legitimacy of the initiative, Juuk questioned the financial activities of exiled opposition figures.

“Some of them are living in villas abroad, renting or buying properties. Where is that money coming from if not looted from South Sudan during their time in government?” he asked.

A key proposal within the Tumaini Initiative was the creation of a Leadership Council, which would function as the apex governing body. Juuk dismissed the idea, calling it “a coup by another name.”

He warned that accepting such a model would set a dangerous precedent and encourage political blackmail.

“Anyone could now gather five people, relocate to Nairobi and demand peace talks as a new rebel group,” he said.

He also revealed that South Sudan had lodged a formal complaint with the Kenyan government over reports that the United People’s Alliance had formed a military wing while operating from Kenyan territory, which Juba claims contravenes norms of the East African Community (EAC).

“You cannot allow anyone with a dispute against the government to gain recognition through armed rebellion. So it is dead. Tumaini is dead,” Juuk concluded.

The Tumaini peace talks were last adjourned on 7 February 2025, marking the third suspension without resolution. Initially praised as a bold step by Kenyan President William Ruto, especially after stalled efforts by the Italy-based Sant’Egidio talks, the initiative now appears to have lost support from its key stakeholder Juba.

As of now, the Kenyan government has not released an official response to South Sudan’s declaration.