{UAH} President Museveni Urges Decisive Action on Dr. Riek Machar Amid South Sudan’s Political Tensions

April 8, 2025 | Juba, South Sudan  

In a significant development amid South Sudan's escalating political crisis, Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has reportedly advised South Sudanese President Salva Kiir to adopt a firmer stance toward First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar. During a closed-door meeting in Juba on April 4, 2025, President Museveni is said to have likened Dr. Machar's situation to that of Uganda's opposition leader Kizza Besigye, urging President Kiir to treat Machar as a criminal rather than a political figure afforded leniency. This counsel comes as Dr. Machar remains under house arrest in the capital, a status Museveni allegedly criticized as granting undue privileges to a man he believes poses a threat to South Sudan's stability.

President Museveni reportedly recommended transferring Dr. Machar to the Wau Facility, a more secure location in Western Bahr el Ghazal, to limit his influence and expedite decisive action. Sources close to the discussions indicate that Museveni expressed concern over the current arrangement, suggesting it allows Machar—who hails from the Nuer ethnic group—to maintain a platform that could rally Nuer support ahead of the national elections, now extended to December 2026. The Ugandan leader cautioned that Machar's continued presence in Juba, even under restricted conditions, risks uniting the Nuer community under his leadership, potentially strengthening his political base at a time when the transitional government seeks to consolidate power.

Complicating matters further, the emergence of Stephen Par Kuol, a Nuer figure who has positioned himself as a popular alternative leader within the community, has disrupted plans allegedly set in motion by President Kiir's administration. Reports suggest that Gatwich Duel, another Nuer leader, had been designated to replace Machar as a more controllable figurehead to represent Nuer interests in the government's framework. However, Par's growing prominence has thrown this strategy into disarray, intensifying the political maneuvering as the 2026 elections loom.

President Museveni's advice reflects his longstanding role as a regional powerbroker and ally of President Kiir, notably during the 2013-2018 civil war when Ugandan forces intervened to bolster Kiir's government against Machar-led rebels. His call for a harder line against Machar underscores broader concerns about South Sudan's fragile peace, brokered under the 2018 Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS). The agreement, already strained by recent violence and Machar's detention, faces further jeopardy as ethnic and political rivalries resurface.

The South Sudanese government has yet to officially respond to Museveni's recommendations. However, the proposal to relocate Machar to Wau—a move that would isolate him from Juba's political center—could provoke a strong backlash from his supporters in the Sudan People's Liberation Movement-In Opposition (SPLM-IO) and the wider Nuer community. SPLM-IO officials have already decried Machar's house arrest as a violation of the peace deal, warning that further escalation could collapse the transitional government entirely.

As South Sudan navigates this precarious moment, the international community, including the United Nations and the African Union, continues to urge dialogue and restraint. Yet, with President Museveni's latest counsel adding pressure on President Kiir to act swiftly and decisively, the path forward remains uncertain. The coming days will be critical in determining whether this advice heralds a resolution or deepens the divides threatening South Sudan's hard-won peace.

"Everyone becomes an expert after the FACT"

 

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