Kenya calls on South Sudan leaders to honour agreements

Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta on Wednesday called on South Sudan leaders to honour agreements they have signed in order to find a lasting political solution to the current crisis in the country.

Kenyatta, who met six regional governors from South Sudan in Nairobi, said failure in the implementation of South Sudan peace process is not an option.

"It is disheartening to see that the situation in South Sudan is not getting any better. It is time the conflict was brought to a conclusive end," said Kenyatta in a statement issued in Nairobi after the meeting.

Kenyatta, who is also the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) rapporteur of the South Sudan peace process, lamented that it was unfortunate that leaders have not honoured and fully embraced agreements they have signed.

"The barrel of a gun should only be used in defending South Sudan's sovereignty, but problems should be resolved through dialogue," he said, adding that all parties have to be involved in the peace process.

The humanitarian consequences of fighting in South Sudan continue to be grave as 2.5 million people urgently need food, with thousands of children suffering from malnutrition.

According to UN, as massive displacement continues, an estimated 2 million people have fled their homes. About 1.5 million people are displaced inside South Sudan, with almost 500, 000 having fled to neighbouring countries.

During the meeting, the governors lamented that the peace process in South Sudan was taking too long. They called on Kenya to impress on South Sudan leaders to adhere to the peace process.

The governors said Kenya is best placed to engage South Sudan leaders considering its historical interaction with the country and its neutrality in the affairs of the nation. They appealed for a speedy implementation of peace agreements signed to ensure there is inclusive and sustainable stability in South Sudan.

South Sudan plunged into violence in December 2013, when fighting erupted between troops loyal to President Salva Kiir and defectors led by Riek Machar around the capital, Juba. The conflict soon turned into an all-out war between the army and defectors, with the violence taking on an ethnic dimension that pitted the president's Dinka tribe against Machar's Nuer ethnic group.

A cessation of hostilities agreement negotiated by the regional mediators in January has been broken on multiple occasions by both South Sudan's government forces and the opposition. Endi