(AA) – Kenyan president Uhuru Kenyatta has pleaded with warring South Sudanese leaders to expedite the ongoing peace process to restore peace to Africa’s youngest country.
Kenyatta has been hosting South Sudanese president Salva Kiir and former South Sudanese deputy president Riek Machar over the past two days at State House in Nairobi.
The dialogue included a five-hour, face-to-face meeting between Kiir and Machar.
South Sudan has been rocked by civil war since December 2013.
Kenya was recently involved in the return of South Sudanese political detainees home to Juba where they were reinstated to their former positions.
Among them was Pagan Amum who was re-instituted as secretary-general of the ruling Sudan People’s Liberation Movement.
Kenyatta said that after their meeting, Machar and Kiir promised that they were committed to restoring peace to South Sudan.
“At our meetings this weekend, we identified and isolated further the most important issues for both sides; we have discussed these extensively and, with the direct talks, both President Kiir and former Vice-President Machar understand each other’s concerns and reservations,” Kenyatta said.
“President Kiir and Dr. Machar expressed their full commitment to the ongoing peace processes and reaffirmed their commitment to securing peace for their people,” Kenyatta added.
