The attempt by Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni to find a solution to the conflict in South Sudan got more complicated last week when he snubbed rebel leader Riek Machar’s delegation to Kampala and instead met 11 former detainees of President Salva Kiir’s government.

The former detainees presented him with a list of suggestions to end the war that engulfed the world’s youngest nation on December 15 last year.

The suggestions, which include a mix of military and political approaches, could see Uganda play a parallel mediation role to that of the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development.

The former detainees reportedly laid three options on the table.

First, is for President Museveni to support the peace talks by leveraging his influence over President Kiir and forcing him to fully commit to the peace talks.

The success of the peace talks would lead to the second option of forming a government of national unity. But the person who leads the transitional process, the former detainees reportedly told Museveni, would not be eligible to contest for the presidency, come elections.

“They hope this proposal will force the two principals to rethink their ambition to lead the transitional government,” said a security official privy to the meeting.

Sources who attended the meeting told The EastAfrican that the group suggested the third option would be for Uganda to work with Ethiopia till the next election, to bring an end to the war, with armies of both countries deployed to keep the warring parties at bay.

Former detainee and secretary general of SPLM Pagan Amum said the meeting with Museveni discussed possible solutions to the conflict that has left thousands dead and over 1.2 million people displaced.

“The biggest challenge right now is the military approach to the war. Each side is looking at the military option as the solution to the war, which is wrong,” said Dr Amum. “Also the question of leadership in South Sudan, where Kiir looks at leadership as the red line, and Machar is looking at removing Kiir as the solution to the problem.”

According to Dr Amum, the talks, expected to resume this week, will adopt the multi-stakeholders approach. The decision to include the detainees poses a challenge to the peace process as Dr Machar rejected it in June.

Neutral team

The group, sources said, sold themselves to President Museveni as the neutral team that could unify the country and bring about reconciliation. They argued that the transitional government of national unity will not only organise the elections but also start the process of reconciliation, undertake constitutional and institutional reforms and work on building a non-tribal army.

“They promised Museveni they will work on a national document and share it with him,” said a source privy to the discussions.

Though President Museveni was receptive to the ideas, he reportedly did not take a stand on any, and promised to share his thoughts at the next meeting with the former detainees.

But while President Museveni was giving audience to the former detainees, an eight-man delegation from Dr Machar was held up at Entebbe International Airport, waiting to board the plane back to the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa, following a failed meeting with the Ugandan leader.

The aborted visit was to make preparations and set an agenda for a possible meeting in Addis Ababa between President Museveni and Dr Machar.

Uganda’s International Affairs Minister Okello Oryem told The EastAfrican that Kampala was not aware of their arrival and no clearance had been given by State House for the meeting; Machar’s delegation said the travel was arranged with the knowledge of Uganda’s ambassador to Ethiopia.
Uganda now says it will arrange for the meeting on a date yet to be decided.

President Museveni in January openly declared his support for President Kiir, but has lately sought a face-to-face meeting with Dr Machar.

“It will not be the first time the president speaks to both sides in the conflict. And I don’t think, if it happens, President Kiir would be upset. Riek Machar is a factor that cannot be wished away.

Uganda must also be seen to be reasonable and listen to Dr Machar,” said President Museveni’s political adviser David Mafabi, who was an aide to the late John Garang when he was the leader of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement.

“In 1994, during the pan-African meeting, John Garang, the Khartoum government and Riek Machar [who then led an SPLM/A breakaway group] found themselves in one room,” Mr Mafabi recalled, noting that by agreeing to meet President Museveni, Dr Machar would indirectly be speaking to President Kiir, a role the Juba government would not be opposed to.

Mr Mafabi however said the suggestions by the former detainees were “very interesting but difficult to implement. Both sides are armed, and each would want to have a big say in the transitional government,” adding that, “in the end, we are going to see a see-saw between the idea of power sharing and the military option.”

With growing signs that the South Sudan government is crumbling, President Museveni could salvage the regime by persuading the former detainees to side with President Kiir, giving him new legitimacy in Juba.

“The former detainees are seasoned fighters, strategists and were close to the late Garang. They may not have a military unit, but they are a factor that cannot be ignored,” said former External Security Organisation boss David Pulkol.