Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi has dismissed allegations that Kenya is supporting Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in the country’s ongoing conflict.
Speaking in an interview with BBC on Tuesday, Mudavadi insisted that Kenya remains a neutral mediator and has not taken sides in the war between the RSF and the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF).
“Kenya is a center for mediation. We only encourage peaceful conversations for peaceful resolutions. That is the extent to which Kenya has been engaged with the various parties in Sudan,” Mudavadi stated.
His remarks come in response to accusations made by former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, who alleged that President William Ruto has been backing the RSF, even helping its leader, Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (Hemedti), fund military operations through gold trade.
Mudavadi dismissed Gachagua’s claims, saying:
“Leave him out of it. The former DP is having his own grievances; he was impeached by Parliament, so I do not think we should drag him here.”
Kenya Under Fire Over RSF Meetings in Nairobi
Despite Mudavadi’s insistence on neutrality, Kenya has faced backlash over its involvement in Sudanese political affairs.
In March 2025, Ruto’s administration hosted RSF leaders and allied groups in Nairobi, where they signed a transitional constitution—an event that fueled speculation of Kenya’s support for the RSF’s bid to form a parallel government.
Mudavadi defended the move, clarifying that the gathering was a dialogue session, not a government-in-exile formation.
“The session RSF had in Nairobi was for them to dialogue among themselves. They did produce their charter. This has been misconstrued to mean that a parallel government was declared in Kenya,” he stated.
“That is not true at all, and I intend to make that very clear at the London-Sudan Conference. At no time has Kenya been party to any government in exile or a parallel government.”
London Conference Ends in Division
Mudavadi made these remarks while attending the London-Sudan Conference on Tuesday, where representatives from the European Union, the African Union, the UK, France, and Germany pledged millions in aid to Sudan.
However, the meeting ended without a breakthrough, as participating countries failed to agree on whether to support SAF or RSF.
Notably, neither General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan (SAF leader) nor Hemedti (RSF leader) were invited to the conference, which weakened the chances of securing a ceasefire.
Meanwhile, Sudan’s humanitarian crisis continues to worsen. The war, which began on April 15, 2023, has led to over 150,000 deaths and displaced more than 12 million people.
In North Darfur’s el-Fasher, intense fighting has forced tens of thousands of Zamzam refugee camp residents to walk 70 km (43 miles) to Tawila, according to Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF). Many arrived severely dehydrated, and some children reportedly died of thirst.
RSF Declares Parallel Government, Deepening Conflict
As diplomats met in London, Hemedti escalated tensions by declaring the formation of a “Government of Peace and Unity” on April 15, 2025, exactly two years after the war began.
“On this anniversary, we proudly declare the establishment of the Government of Peace and Unity, a broad civilian coalition that reflects the true face of Sudan,” Hemedti announced.
He claimed that the move was not about creating a parallel government but a “realistic future for Sudan.”
“We are not building a parallel state. We are building the only realistic future for Sudan. Our government will provide essential services—education, healthcare, and justice,” he added.
The declaration, made just months after RSF leaders unveiled a political charter in Nairobi, has sparked renewed tensions, with the SAF-backed administration in Port Sudan condemning the move.
