President Museveni’s visit to South Sudan's Capital Juba remains halfway across the line, as one of the major aspects of it- a meeting with First Vice President Riek Machar remains the cumbersome element.
Museveni arrived in Juba, apparently according to an invitation from his counterpart Salva Kiir, a few hours later than a mediation committee from the African Union, also dubbed the Council of the Wise.
However, besides a tete-a-tete, with Salva Kiir and his ministers, President Museveni retired to his Juba residence amidst tight security from a UPDF force planted there weeks ago, without chancing on the other waring party in Riek Machar.
According to sources close to Machar, the First Vice President has refused to talk, citing any talks within Juba are not safe, and he would rather determine the environment and convenience of such talks.
Meanwhile, Machar remains under lock and key in his home, despite several calls to release him.
Following talks last night, Ramadan Goc, the South Sudan Foreign Minister hinted that they addressed Museveni on several “ Pressing Political Developments”.
Goc’s Ugandan Counterpart, John Mulimba chose the safer angle, citing that the two parties talked about deepening bilateral relations and other matters of security concern.
In an earlier meeting with the council of the wise, Kiir was pressed hard to draw back to the Revitalised Peace Agreement signed between him and Machar, to which he replied in the affirmative, but just like Museveni’s meeting, the absence of Machar remained a very loud bang on the entire process.
Machar is accused of trying to re-stalk rebellion in South Sudan with the help of the white army. Until today, the UPDF remains deployed in the area to deal with any eventualities.
