Kenya’s credibility as peace talks host under scrutiny after arrests, deportations and intimidations
You cannot host peace talks while opposition members fear arrest, rendition or monitoring
South Sudanese civil society organisations are raising fresh concerns over Kenya’s credibility as a neutral mediator and safe host for South Sudan’s peace negotiations, following a series of arrests and deportations that activists say have eroded trust.
The latest controversy stems from a series of recent arrests and deportations including the reported arrest of South Sudanese political activist William Deng Dut Koor at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport earlier this month. His detention drew swift condemnation from civil society groups, who described the incident as politically motivated and demanded his immediate release and a transparent account of the circumstances surrounding his arrest.
For many activists, the episode has reinforced long-standing fears about the vulnerability of South Sudanese political critics living in or transiting through Kenya.
“When a South Sudanese activist is reportedly arrested at an international airport in Nairobi, it sends shockwaves across the activist community,” a region-based civil society leader told NasSouthSudan.com. “People begin to question whether Kenya can genuinely provide safe space for political engagement.”
The concerns come amid what activists describe as a broader pattern of politically sensitive deportations and security incidents. In a recent case, a Zimbabwean national was expelled from Kenya under disputed circumstances, further fuelling debate about due process and political freedoms.
Civil society groups also point to earlier cases involving South Sudanese dissidents who disappeared in Kenya and later resurfaced in detention in Juba. The unresolved fate of Dong Samuel Luak and Aggrey Idri, who vanished in Nairobi in 2017 and were later confirmed executed in South Sudan, remains a central source of mistrust.
Beyond individual incidents, activists allege that South Sudanese security operatives continue to operate inside Kenya, sometimes in coordination with Kenyan security agencies. They argue that such an environment creates a climate of surveillance and intimidation incompatible with credible mediation.
“You cannot host peace talks while opposition members fear arrest, rendition or monitoring,” another civil society representative said. “Neutrality is demonstrated through protection, not declarations.”
The South Sudan Opposition Movements Alliance (SSOMA) has echoed these concerns, warning that Nairobi must provide credible security guarantees and demonstrate independence from external influence if it hopes to retain the confidence of all parties involved in the peace process.
Kenya has positioned itself as a key regional mediator, including through the Nairobi-based Tumaini Initiative, but civil society actors say trust must be rebuilt through concrete measures – particularly safeguards for political actors, refugees and activists residing or operating within Kenyan territory.
“If Kenya wishes to be viewed as a genuine guarantor of peace,” one civil society coalition said, “it must ensure that its territory cannot be used for intimidation, coordination of foreign security operations, or politically motivated arrests or deportations.”
As discussions on South Sudan’s political future continue, civil society leaders warn that the credibility of any peace process will depend not only on the agreements reached, but on whether participants feel they can engage freely and safely.
