The South Sudan Opposition Movements Alliance (SSOMA) has formally rejected a Kenya-led peace framework aimed at stabilizing South Sudan, setting strict preconditions before any negotiations can proceed under the Tumaini Peace Initiative.
In a letter dated February 13 and addressed to Kenya’s chief mediator, General Lazarus Sumbeiywo, SSOMA chairperson General Thomas Cirillo Swaka outlined what he termed “fundamental concerns regarding both the process and substance of the Framework.”
The mediation effort, spearheaded by President William Ruto, was launched in Nairobi on May 9, 2024, under the Tumaini Peace Initiative. It seeks to revive stalled peace efforts and prepare South Sudan for elections scheduled for December 2026.
However, SSOMA argues that the proposed “National Consensus Charter Dialogue” risks entrenching the political status quo rather than addressing the root causes of conflict in the world’s youngest nation.
“First, the framework was developed and presented without prior structured consultations with South Sudanese stakeholders,” Cirillo wrote. “This approach contradicts the core principle emphasized by the Tumaini Initiative itself – that peace-making process must be owned by South Sudanese.”
He further criticized what he described as a predetermined structure. “The framework appears to predetermine the agenda, process and outcome. It limits genuine dialogue and constrains South Sudanese parties to negotiate within externally pre-set parameters rather than shaping the process collectively and freely,” he stated.
South Sudan has struggled with instability since civil war erupted in 2013 following a political fallout between President Salva Kiir and his then-deputy Riek Machar. Although a 2018 peace agreement led to the formation of a unity government, implementation has been slow and incomplete. SSOMA is not a signatory to that deal.
The alliance insists that elections cannot substitute for a comprehensive settlement. “Elections should be the outcome of peace, not a substitute for it,” the group warned, citing ongoing insecurity, displacement, economic crisis and weak institutions.
Among its key demands is the immediate and unconditional release of political detainees, including Machar, who was placed under house arrest in March 2025 and later charged with treason and crimes against humanity.
“All political detainees under the outgoing South Sudan regime’s security apparatus should unconditionally be released. The top political detainee is South Sudan’s First Vice President… Dr. Riek Machar Teny,” Cirillo emphasized.
SSOMA has also called for broader consultations involving civil society, faith leaders, women, youth and displaced communities, as well as the inclusion of regional and international actors in any renewed mediation process.
Kenya’s mediation team has yet to publicly respond to the alliance’s position.
