Former Tanzanian president Jakaya Kikwete is scheduled to arrive in Juba on Wednesday morning for a three-day visit during which he will hold talks aimed at addressing the crisis in South Sudan, high-level diplomatic sources told Radio Tamazuj.
Kikwete was appointed on March 24, 2026, by the African Union chairperson as AU High Representative for the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea, with a special mandate on South Sudan.
His visit to Juba is under a mandate from the African Union’s Ad Hoc High-Level Committee on South Sudan (C-5), tasked with supporting implementation of the 2018 peace deal.
Diplomatic sources confirmed that Kikwete will be on an official visit to Juba from April 8 to 10, 2026, where he will meet President Salva Kiir and engage key stakeholders.
“The AU High Representative will meet with President Kiir and hold discussions with key stakeholders, particularly on the current political, peace, security and stability situation in South Sudan,” one of the diplomatic sources said.
Some meetings with the AU envoy are expected to begin on Wednesday afternoon, the source added.
Diplomatic push
Kikwete’s visit comes a day after he met Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni in Uganda, where they discussed the situation in South Sudan.
In a post on X, Museveni, a close ally of Kiir, said the meeting emphasised the importance of dialogue among the parties, adding that Uganda would continue to support peace efforts and stability in South Sudan, especially in the Equatoria region.
Last week, Kikwete also met South African President Cyril Ramaphosa in Pretoria. Ramaphosa chairs the African Union’s Ad Hoc High-Level Committee on South Sudan (C-5).
A statement issued after their closed-door talks said the leaders reviewed “the work undertaken by the SADC Panel of Elders, including H.E. former President Kikwete’s contemporary role as the African Union High Representative for the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea, as well as his special mandate on South Sudan.”
Inclusion concerns
Puok Both Baluang, acting press secretary for Riek Machar, told Radio Tamazuj that the SPLM-IO faction led by Machar had not been included in the visit programme, as arrangements were being handled by the foreign affairs ministry. He said they were still trying to reach Kikwete’s office to secure a meeting if possible.
“South Sudan urgently needs peace and stability, and the parties should resume implementation of the peace agreement through an initiative under the AU and other regional actors. An inclusive dialogue needs to start with the release of Dr. Riek Machar and other detainees,” he said.
He emphasised the need for renewed political will among all parties to return to full implementation of the 2018 agreement.
Efforts to reach foreign ministry spokesperson Thomas Kenneth for comment were not immediately successful.
Civil society warns
Edmund Yakani, executive director of the Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO), welcomed the planned visit but warned that selective engagement could undermine efforts to revive South Sudan’s stalled peace process.
Yakani described the visit as “encouraging” but stressed that all signatories to the Revitalised Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS) must be engaged equally.
“Past efforts have suffered from deliberate exclusion of some political actors,” Yakani said, warning that mistrust among the parties remains a major obstacle to a peaceful transition.
He said a “high deficit of trust and confidence” continued to hamper cooperation among signatories, adding that without a shift in political attitudes, the AU-led initiative risked failing to deliver meaningful progress.
Yakani called on Kikwete to help break key deadlocks, including the status and participation of the SPLM-IO faction led by Machar, and urged the release of Machar and other detainees to enable their participation in an inclusive dialogue process in line with AU C-5 resolutions.
“Any manipulation or selective implementation of these resolutions will undermine public trust,” Yakani said, adding that previous selective approaches by regional leaders had yielded no tangible results.
He warned that rigid political positions could derail mediation efforts and jeopardise prospects for a peaceful transition and planned elections in December 2026.
“All parties, signatory and non-signatory, must be ready to compromise,” Yakani said. “Failure to genuinely implement agreed resolutions risks prolonging instability.”
The civil society leader also urged Kikwete to leverage his experience to rebuild trust among South Sudan’s leaders and address what he described as the “ongoing suffering” of civilians affected by conflict.
Meanwhile, human rights activist Ter Manyang said inclusive and genuine dialogue among all stakeholders was essential during Kikwete’s visit, adding that the release of detained First Vice President Machar was crucial to restoring peace and security.
He also proposed extending the current transitional period to allow completion of key processes, including security arrangements, a population census and constitution-making.
Stalled peace process
South Sudan’s security situation remains fragile despite a 2018 peace agreement signed by Kiir and Machar, who was placed under house arrest in March 2025 and suspended as first vice president.
The agreement and the transitional government have been weakened by continued violence, ceasefire violations and disputes between Kiir and Machar.
The country’s first general elections have been postponed several times due to a lack of conditions for credible polls and logistical challenges. The parties last year agreed to hold elections in December 2026 and resume dialogue to avert further delays.
Kikwete’s engagement with South Sudanese leaders and key stakeholders signals renewed regional pressure to accelerate implementation of the 2018 peace deal ahead of the planned vote.
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