KAMPALA.
President Museveni on Friday evening returned to Uganda after completing an official visit to South Sudan, where he held discussions with President Salva Kiir on regional peace and bilateral cooperation.
The one-day visit focused on strengthening ties between the two neighbouring nations.
Upon arrival at Entebbe International Airport, President Museveni was received by government officials including the Head of Public Service and Secretary to the Cabinet, Ms. Lucy Nakyobe, the Commander Air Force, Lt. Gen. Charles Okidi and the Deputy Inspector General of Police, Mr. James Ochaya.
The visit marks another step in Uganda’s diplomatic efforts to foster stability in the region.
Museveni’s impromptu visit to Juba on Thursday came amid rising tensions in African’s youngest nation with President Salva Kiir no long see eye to eye with his First vice President Dr Riek Machar.
The African Union has already sent a mediation team which arrived in South Sudan’s capital Juba on Wednesday for talks aimed at averting a new civil war after Dr Machar was placed under house arrest last week.
Kiir’s government has accused Dr Machar, a long-time rival who led rebel forces during a 2013-18 war that killed hundreds of thousands, of trying stir up a new rebellion.
Dr Machar’s detention last Wednesday followed weeks of fighting in the northern Upper Nile state between the military and the White Army militia .Dr Machar’s forces were allied with the White Army during the civil war ,but deny any current links.
The AU delegation’s flight arrived at Juba’s airport on Wednesday afternoon with a “Council of the Wise” which included former Burundian President Domitien Ndayizeye and former Kenyan judge Effie Owuor.
Machar’s SPLM-IO party said in a statement that it “warmly welcomes the arrival of the Council of Wise as part of ongoing efforts to de-escalate tensions and support the peace process”.
The AU’s Peace and Security Council called in a statement on Tuesday for Machar’s “immediate and unconditional release”, saying recent developments threaten the 2018 peace deal that ended the war.
Kenya’s former Prime Minister Raila Odinga arrived in Juba on Monday on behalf of an East African regional body to mediate between the rival camps. Odinga met with Kiir but said he was not allowed to see Machar.
Political observers say Kiir, 73, appears to be attempting to shore up his position amid discontent within his own political camp and that the war in neighbouring Sudan has worsened security conditions by leading to an influx of weapons.
The 2013-18 war was contested largely along ethnic lines, with fighters from the Dinka, the country’s largest group, lining up behind Kiir, and those from the Nuer, the second-largest group, supporting Dr Machar