Nairobi — President William Ruto has reaffirmed Kenya’s position that Sudan’s devastating conflict cannot be resolved through military means, urging warring parties to put the needs of the Sudanese people above political and military interests.
Speaking after a meeting with Ambassador Ramtane Lamamra, the Personal Envoy of United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres on Sudan, at State House Nairobi, Ruto said Kenya remains committed to supporting regional and international peace efforts.
Ambassador Lamamra briefed President Ruto on UN-led initiatives to secure humanitarian access, de-escalate fighting, and advance a political process that would return Sudan to civilian administration.
“I reiterated the commitment of Kenya to support efforts that seek to arrest the tragic humanitarian disaster afflicting the people of Sudan, stop the war, and return Sudan to the path defined by its citizens during the revolution of 2019,” Ruto said Saturday.
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“As I have repeatedly observed, there cannot be a military solution in Sudan. We urge all parties to this conflict to consider the needs of the people of Sudan above all other interests.”
The remarks come amid heightened tensions between Nairobi and Khartoum.
On July 28, Sudan’s ruling junta accused Kenya of violating its sovereignty after the rival Rapid Support Forces (RSF) announced the formation of a parallel government.
In a statement, the junta-controlled Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned what it described as Kenya’s “endorsement” of the RSF’s move, calling it a breach of international law and the principle of non-interference.
It further accused the RSF of spreading misinformation to mask battlefield setbacks, denouncing the declaration of a rival administration as “fictitious” and “an insult” to the suffering of Sudanese citizens.
“The terrorist RSF militia continues to show contempt for the will of the Sudanese people through violence, torture, and now misinformation,” the statement read.
“Their announcement of a parallel government is a desperate propaganda campaign, clearly illustrating their defeat and retreat under the blows of our heroic Armed Forces.”
Khartoum has repeatedly criticized Nairobi, including on June 24, when it demanded that Kenya stop what it alleged was support for the RSF, a paramilitary group it has designated a “terrorist militia.”
The United States has also sanctioned the RSF for human rights violations and, earlier this year, accused the group of committing acts of genocide in Darfur.
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The conflict, which erupted on April 15, 2023, pits General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan’s Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) against the RSF, led by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, widely known as Hemedti.
The power struggle has plunged the country into one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises, with more than 25 million people in dire need of assistance and millions displaced.
Kenya has insisted its engagement with both sides, including hosting RSF representatives earlier this year, is aimed at fostering dialogue.
Mediation efforts by the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), the African Union, and international partners remain ongoing, though progress has been slow amid deep mistrust between the warring factions.
