Odinga, who arrived in Juba on Friday for discussions with South Sudanese President Salva Kiir and Machar, revealed that while he met with Kiir, he was not permitted to visit the detained vice president. His six-hour visit yielded little public information apart from official images taken at the presidential palace.
Upon his return from Entebbe, Uganda, on Saturday, Odinga disclosed that Kiir had briefed him on the killing of General Majur Dak and other soldiers in the northern town of Nasir on March 7.
The South Sudanese government reported that the general and his team were attacked while attempting to board a United Nations helicopter for evacuation.
As a result of the attack, Kiir's government placed Machar under house arrest, citing ongoing investigations into the incident.
'I had a lengthy discussion with President Kiir, who told me about the challenges they are facingâ€"that a General and 10 other people were killed in the town of Nasir in the Upper Nile, and this is what they are investigating," Odinga explained.
Following their meeting, Odinga requested permission to speak with Machar but was denied. Instead, he was advised to consult with Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, leading to his visit to Entebbe, where he briefed Museveni on the developments.
'I reported to him [Museveni] what I had found in South Sudan, and after a lengthy discussion, he said he would get in touch with President Kiir,' Odinga stated.
Odinga, a seasoned Kenyan politician, told the press in Nairobi that he would only return to Juba if granted direct access to Machar.
'They said that when I want to go back to Juba, they will allow me, but I have said that I will only return when I meet with Mr. Riek. I don't want to disclose right now when I am going back,' he asserted.
Back in Kenya, Odinga intends to brief President William Ruto, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, and Djibouti's President Ismaïl Omar Guelleh on the South Sudan situation.
He also called for international intervention to prevent further escalation.
'The situation requires international attention. I am happy that the UN is getting involved in what is happening in South Sudan. I believe this is a situation that warrants intervention by the international community,' he remarked.
Although South Sudanese authorities have not directly linked Machar to the killings, they claim that some of his supporters, including militia groups allegedly affiliated with him, may have played a role in the attack.
Machar's appointment as First Vice President was the result of a fragile peace deal brokered in 2018 to end years of civil war. He was reinstated in 2020 as part of a power-sharing arrangement with President Kiir after previous attempts at cooperation had collapsed into renewed conflict.
The deal aimed to unify rival factions and establish a transitional government, but tensions between Kiir and Machar have remained high, with periodic clashes threatening to unravel the agreement.
The Kenyan government recently appointed Odinga as its special envoy to South Sudan amid rising tensions following Machar's arrest on March 26.
President Ruto, who has been actively involved in mediation efforts within the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) region, made the appointment after consulting with regional leaders, including Kiir, Museveni, and Abiy Ahmed. Ruto stated that Odinga was tasked with engaging all parties to de-escalate the conflict and provide feedback on the situation.
Machar's detention, which also included his wife, Angela Teny, the country's Interior and Coordination Minister, has drawn international condemnation. The United States was among the first to demand his immediate release, adding to growing pressure on Kiir's administration.
In his media briefing on Saturday, Odinga expressed optimism that the ongoing investigations will be resolved swiftly to restore stability in the fragile nation, which has long been plagued by conflict and political rivalries.
Wycliffe Nyamasege
