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Roundup: Kenyan lawmakers mull sanctions against S. Sudanese leaders

Xinhua, October 13, 2016 Adjust font size:

Kenya's lawmakers on Wednesday threatened to impose sanctions against South Sudanese leaders who are frustrating the recently signed peace deal in the world's youngest nation.

The lawmakers said they have sponsored a motion in parliament aimed at freezing assets of South Sudanese leaders who are perpetuating conflict in Juba and stopping their families seek refuge in foreign countries including Kenya, where they have also been accused of investing assets worth millions of U.S. dollars.

"There are South Sudanese leaders who live and invest in Addis Ababa, Nairobi, Khartoum and yet they are perpetrators of war in Juba. That is why we want to bring a motion to impose sanctions on such people to ensure their assets are frozen," said National Assembly's Defence and Foreign Relations and Committee chairman Ndung'u Githinji.

Githinji said the motion will also seek to have South Sudan, which was recently admitted to the East African Community (EAC), expelled from the regional bloc because of instability that has seen more than 1 million refugees flee to neighboring countries.

In early July, close to the fifth anniversary of the country's independence, South Sudan was plunged into fresh violence due to clashes between rival forces -- the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA), loyal to President Salva Kiir, and the SPLA in Opposition, backing former First Vice-President Riek Machar.

The lawmakers have also called on the EAC to take action against South Sudan warlords who are behind renewed fighting in South Sudan

Githinji said Machar's relatives said to be living in Nairobi, should be deported to Juba as part of the tough sanctions aimed at preventing Juba from sliding back to a full blown war.

Parliamentary Committee on Administration and National Security Chairman Asman Kamama said credible reports indicate that Machar is mobilizing his troops for a full scale civil war, a situation that will affect Kenya's economy.

Kamama also strongly condemned comments Machar, calling for a return to war against Kiir's government, terming his comments as "unacceptable and inexcusable".

"We find the fresh calls for war unacceptable and inexcusable. We want Machar and his allies to go back to the negotiating table as an option to pursue and address his grievances," he added. Endit