Prime Cabinet Secretary and Foreign Affairs CS Musalia Mudavadi has dismissed claims that Kenya is supporting Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in their ongoing conflict with the Sudanese Armed Forces. Speaking during a BBC interview on Tuesday, Mudavadi insisted that Kenya’s engagement with Sudanese factions is strictly for mediation and peace-building purposes.
The interview comes amid rising concerns over Kenya’s neutrality after Nairobi hosted RSF leaders and allied groups last month for talks that resulted in the signing of a transitional constitution. This move was perceived by Khartoum as an attempt to legitimize the formation of a parallel government, prompting Sudan to suspend all imports from Kenya in protest.
Mudavadi clarified that the RSF meeting was part of efforts to facilitate dialogue among conflicting parties in Sudan. “We only encourage peaceful conversations for peaceful resolutions… that is the extent to which Kenya has been engaged,” he stated. He emphasized that Kenya has not taken sides, adding, “At no time was Kenya a party to the formation of a government in exile or parallel government for any country.”
Sudan’s suspension of trade ties with Kenya has been described by Nairobi as a “gross overreaction,” further highlighting the diplomatic strain triggered by the RSF talks.
The controversy has been further inflamed by Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua’s allegations linking President William Ruto to RSF leader Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, also known as Hemedti. Gachagua, who recently fell out with Ruto and was subsequently impeached by Parliament, accused the President of being involved in illegal gold trade with Hemedti, allegedly to finance the RSF’s military operations.
When asked about these explosive claims, Mudavadi urged caution. “You may want to leave the former deputy president out of this,” he said. “He is having his grievances… and I don’t think we should drag him here.”
President Ruto has yet to respond publicly to Gachagua’s allegations.
The developments come as Mudavadi attends the London-Sudan Conference, where international actors are seeking sustainable solutions to end the conflict that has killed over 150,000 people and displaced more than 11 million since it began in 2023.
