Stalemate in South Sudan must be addressed urgently

Juba, South Sudan is on a crossroad! May our good Lord give S. Sudan long lasting peace! Once seen as a White House triumph, the new nation of South Sudan is on the verge of collapse and nearing descending into war and misery.

Just years ago the world hailed the creation of a new African nation but now South Sudan is looking like a failed state. The euphoria has faded and South Sudan is an embarrassment for the administration, and that comes with reputational costs.

A failure to reach a deal between Kiir and Machar could see a wider push for sanctions with diplomats' patience running out and the peace process having already cost well over 20 million Euros ($22 million) with nothing to show for it.

Efforts to form a unity government and end the civil war has been thrown into a limbo again after the return of Riek Machar is repeatedly delayed. Machar was due to return to Juba on Monday April 18 2016 to be sworn in as the first Vice President of South Sudan.

Unfortunately, Machar's arrival in Juba has been delayed because of a disagreement over the number of opposition troops travelling with Machar and his chief of staff. The glaring failure of South Sudan’s government and opposition reverses any progress made towards peace. This then worsens the humanitarian crisis across the country.

Hope seems to be giving way to desperation. South Sudan seems to be slowly descending into bloodshed and chaos. Machar's return is widely seen as essential to forming a unity government, an important step in ending the country's civil war.

The return of Machar is a significant moment for the future of South Sudan. The Transitional Government of National Unity provides the opportunity to unite and stabilize the country. May our good Lord give S. Sudan a long lasting peace!

Dr. Njenga, Solomon Ph.D

Dean - School of Governance, Peace and Security

Africa Nazarene University, Kenya

DISCLAIMER: These are my own views and NOT of the Institution I work for