Kenya deploys police specialists to volatile South Sudan

In response to escalating political tensions in South Sudan, Kenya has now deployed four police specialists as part of the United Nations peacekeeping mission.

This comes after the reported house arrest of South Sudan’s First Vice President, Riek Machar, a development that has sparked widespread concern over the country's fragile peace process.

The officers will serve in South Sudan for 12 months under the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) as the security situation grows more unstable in Africa's newest nation.

Drawn from the Kenya Police Service (KPS), Administration Police Service (APS), and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), the officers were briefed by IGP Kanja before their deployment.

According to the National Police Service (NPS), the officers will carry out specialized duties in support of peacekeeping efforts.

Their primary tasks will include addressing security challenges, particularly cattle raids, which remain a serious concern in the region.

Kenya has been a key participant in peacekeeping efforts in South Sudan, a country that has faced internal conflict since its independence in 2011.

The deployment of these officers comes amid growing violence between forces loyal to Machar and those aligned with South Sudanese President Salva Kiir.

The latest tensions surfaced when a convoy of 20 heavily armed vehicles reportedly stormed Machar's residence in Juba, disarming his security detail.

This act has been condemned by Machar’s party, the Sudan People’s Liberation Army in Opposition (SPLM-IO), with the international community increasingly worried about the risk of a renewed civil war.

The United States has called for the release of Machar, warning that his continued detention could inflame the already volatile situation.

In light of these developments, the Kenyan government has urged all parties in South Sudan to prioritize peace and abide by existing agreements under the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD).

Kenya's President William Ruto said on his X account that he had a phone call with South Sudan's Salva Kiir on the situation leading to the arrest and detention of first Vice President Riek Machar in South Sudan.

"After consultations with President Museveni and Prime Minister Abiy, I'm sending a special envoy to South Sudan to engage, try to de-escalate, and brief us back," posted President Ruto.

“All parties in South Sudan should prioritize peace in the country by giving room to the ongoing peace agreements under the auspices of IGAD,” stated the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Kenya's Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi also called for restraint, urging South Sudanese leaders to honor the Revitalized Peace Agreement.

“We urge all the leaders in South Sudan to exercise utmost restraint, cease hostilities, and uphold the Revitalized Peace Agreement in the best interests of millions of their people,” Mudavadi stated, emphasizing the importance of a peaceful resolution in the interest of the country and the region as a whole