Juba has dismissed negotiations for a political settlement of South Sudan’s leadership crisis, saying that the talks will yield nothing.

South Sudan charge d’affairs in Nairobi, James Morgan said that the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (Igad) mediators were jeopardising the prospects of a settlement by trying to impose their will on the two warring sides.

He also accused lead mediator Seyoum Mesfin of Ethiopia of deferring the talks even when the two parties are making progress.

“The government has given a lot of concessions but the mediators are sabotaging the peace process,” he said. 

However, Dr Riek Machar’s spokesperson, James Gatdet Dak said that Juba was not interested in the Igad-mediated peace process. They are instead preparing for an all-out war this dry season.

“Salva Kiir’s forces and their foreign allies from Uganda are busy testing weapons. Our freedom fighters are however ready to prove them wrong, to show that war is not a good option,” said Mr Dak.

Igad partner states are now set for an extraordinary summit on South Sudan on January 18, where the leaders will review the progress and possibly impose sanctions on individuals who are sabotaging the mediation.

However, Mr Morgan said sanctions would hurt neighbouring countries more than Juba.

“The major businesses such as banks belong to Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia and Eritrea. If they impose sanctions, they will be sanctioning themselves. Even though the sanctions will have impact on the ordinary South Sudanese, it is the region that will suffer the most,” said Mr Morgan.

This week, South Sudan media has been awash with rumours that diplomatic relations between South Sudan and Ethiopia are deteriorating over the handling of future rounds of peace talks with the rebels.

The last Igad summit in November had threatened to impose an arms embargo, travel bans and asset freezes on selected individuals. The negotiations were adjourned in December after the parties failed to agree on a power-sharing structure.

READ: Threat of sanctions checks South Sudan leaders

There is growing anxiety in South Sudan that the two parties are no longer keen on the Addis Ababa talks and have been arming in readiness for a major offensive.

But Mr Morgan maintained that the government had gone an extra mile to give concession including agreeing to a creation of the post of the prime minister which is not in the Constitution, but the rebels continue to demand more than the government can deliver.

He took issue with the rebel demand to have their own commander in chief and have an executive prime minister.

“President Kiir was given executive powers by the people and anybody who wants powers must wait for elections. For instance, where in the world have we seen two commanders-in-chief in the same country?” said Mr Morgan.

Still outstanding in the negotiations are the issues of two separate armies during the pre-transition period, the structure of power-sharing and the sharing of executive powers between the president and the prime minister.

But the two sides have agreed that the transitional government of national unity will have 27 ministries, and that the country will be a federal state.

Jervasio Okot, a political analyst, is concerned that the more Igad delays in convening the summit or imposing some penalties on those delaying a political settlement, the more chances are that fresh fighting will break out.

The US Department warned its citizens against travelling to South Sudan due to the continued instability, while the US embassy in Juba has restricted its staff movement to between 10.00pm and 6.00am.