Kenya-Sudan ties worsen as RSF to hold round two of meetings

The tense Kenya, Sudan diplomatic ties are likely to escalate once again following reports Nairobi is set to host the second round of conference by the country's rebel forces accused of genocide.

Sudan’s Foreign Affairs ministry on Saturday issued a press release condemning the meeting of the Rapid Support Forces and allied groups. 

“The Kenyan government’s insistence on continuing to support the terrorist militia and harbour its activities demonstrates a disregard for international legitimacy and the African Union Peace and Security Council,” the statement said.

Sudan said the move poses a “serious threat” to regional security, the sovereignty of African nations and social stability within them.   

“This follows previous meetings sponsored by the Kenyan presidency in February of this year, which sought to declare the so- called "parallel government" for the genocidal militia and its followers. The entire international community has condemned this move,” the statement added.

In this regard, Sudan urged the international community to condemn what it termed “irresponsible conduct” that violates international law, the UN Charter and the AU Constitutive Act.

At the same time Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, who is also in-charge of the Foreign Affairs docket, will on Tuesday attend the London-Sudan Conference at Lancaster House on the second anniversary of the Sudan conflict.

Mudavadi’s office on Sunday said he had been invited by the UK government, and will present Kenya’s position on regional peace and security in the Greater Horn of Africa, particularly Sudan.

“Since the conflict began, Kenya has welcomed every key Sudanese stakeholder from both sides of the divide including top Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) and Rapid Support Forces (RSF) leaders, special envoys for the parties, representatives of local communities, civil society, political parties and armed movements in a bid to bring an end to the war,” the statement said.

It added that Mudavadi will affirm that “Kenya supports a unified Sudan for the people of Sudan, advocates for a Sudanese-owned political process with the supportive role of external actors, and Kenya’s opposition to using military solutions to address a political dispute”.

Additionally, the PCS will also advocate for a peace process through African institutions —IGAD, the African Union, EAC, and SADC — and “discourage members engaged in forum shopping opting to choose methods that suit their selfish interests rather than the common good”.

The meeting will seek to address the worsening humanitarian situation and gather support for a United Nations plan targeting assistance for 20.9 million people. Kenya has pledged $2 million humanitarian support.

Sudan has, however, objected to the conference, which is organised by the European Union, the UK, Germany and France, saying it was not invited.

In a message to UK Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs David Lammy, Sudan also criticised the inclusion in the meeting of the United Arab Emirates, Kenya and Chad, countries it accuses of backing RSF against the Sudan Armed Forces.

Former Vice President and two-time Foreign Minister Kalonzo Musyoka said Kenya should not have hosted the RSF in the first place.

“Our foreign policy is messed up. Once we got involved with RSF it became a problem. Now Khartoum has taken the RSF and their collaborators to the ICC. We should not have allowed that thing [meeting] to happen in Kenya because this is a group under international sanctions,” Kalonzo told the Star.

Kalonzo, who has been involved in Sudan peace processes, added that developments in Sudan have an over flow impact on South Sudan, whose security and political instability has been fast escalating in recent months.

Kenya in February hosted RSF and allied groups, which signed a charter to form a parallel government and unveiled a new constitution in March under the banner of Sudan Founding Alliance.

Kenya was heavily criticised for hosting RSF activities, with various global powers, the UN and the AU condemning the announcement of the parallel government.

Among the global powers that condemned the move were the US, China and Russia. Saudi Arabia, Turkiye, Guyana and Uganda also weighed in on the matter.

The AU Peace and Security Council condemned the move and warned that it posed a huge risk of partitioning the country, and warned against any recognition and or support to the parallel government.

The UNSC expressed “grave concern” over the move and its potential to fuel the flames of war in Sudan, threatening its national unity and territorial integrity.

Sudan banned imports from Kenya, including tea, as a retaliation to the developments in Nairobi. It had earlier recalled its ambassador in Nairobi.

Mudavadi on Tuesday, however, denied that a parallel government in Sudan had been formed in Kenya.

“For the avoidance of doubt, no government of Sudan was declared or formed in Kenya, in Nairobi. I want that to be understood very clearly because there has been some misinformation that a parallel government of Sudan has been formed in Kenya. That is not true,” Mudavadi told the diplomatic corps at the quarterly diplomatic address.

 “We have had a chance to look at the documentation and there is no such wording of a government being formed in Kenya,” he said.