Sudan’s VP, General Malik Agar Warns Ruto of Repercussions If Kenya Keeps Meddling in Sudan’s Affairs

In a scathing open letter addressed to Kenyan President William Ruto, Sudan’s Vice President and Vice Chair of the Sovereign Council, General Malik Agar Eyre, has accused Kenya of flagrant interference in Sudan’s internal affairs, warning of potential consequences if such actions persist.

The letter, issued on February 21, 2025, highlights a series of alleged violations by Ruto of African Union (AU) principles, which Agar claims threaten Sudan’s sovereignty and regional stability.

Agar’s grievances center on what he describes as a pattern of deliberate meddling by Ruto, beginning with a meeting of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) heads of state in Djibouti from June 10-14, 2023.

During this summit, Ruto proposed a roadmap that included provisions for military intervention in Sudan (Articles 4-8), a move Agar asserts was neither ratified by the Sudanese government nor approved by the IGAD assembly.

Following the session, Ruto unilaterally announced a four-country mechanism—comprising South Sudan, Djibouti, Uganda, and Kenya, with himself as chairman—further sidelining Sudan’s input and drawing ire from Khartoum.

The Sudanese vice president also pointed to an extraordinary IGAD meeting on September 18, 2024, held in Uganda to discuss Somalia.

Agar alleges that Ruto exploited this platform to insert Sudanese matters into the agenda, proposing that the leader of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF)—a paramilitary group sanctioned by the United Nations for its role in Sudan’s ongoing conflict—represent Sudan.

This, Agar argues, constitutes a “clear violation” of AU and UN principles barring non-state actors from participating in state-level meetings, undermining Sudan’s legitimate government.

Tensions escalated further on February 18, 2025, when Ruto permitted members and supporters of the RSF, alongside other Sudanese factions, to convene in Nairobi.

According to Agar, the gathering aimed to establish a parallel government in Sudan—an act he deems a direct affront to the AU’s commitment to Sudan’s territorial integrity, reaffirmed just days earlier on February 14, 2025.

“This act not only contravenes AU principles but also erodes Kenya’s standing as a peacemaker,” Agar wrote, accusing Ruto of prioritizing foreign interference over addressing Kenya’s own pressing domestic challenges, such as youth unemployment and poverty.

“It is essential to remind President William Ruto that his own country-Kenya, to whom he owes a duty of care, faces numerous internal challenges, including youth unemployment, poverty, and demands for transparency-issues that require his utmost attention.
How can he claim to mediate Sudanese affairs when he has never experienced the scale of violence currently unfolding in Sudan?” He posed.

The RSF, implicated in widespread human rights abuses during Sudan’s civil war, has been a particularly contentious point.

Agar questioned the moral and legal justification of Kenya’s apparent backing of the group, asking, “What precedent does this set for the AU, international law, and the principles of sovereignty?” Sudan’s conflict, which erupted in April 2023 between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the RSF, has claimed thousands of lives and displaced millions, drawing international concern but little consensus on resolution.

Agar emphasized that Sudan’s “patriotic people” are capable of resolving their own challenges, rejecting the notion of a parallel government as a distraction from the urgent need to halt the fighting.

He accused Ruto of pursuing an “alarming trend of external interference” that risks fragmenting Sudan, a practice explicitly prohibited by the AU Charter and condemned by its Peace and Security Council.

The VP has called the upholding of the AU’s principles of sovereign equality and the resolution of African problems “in-house,” free from foreign aggravation.

Agar hinted at potential escalation, noting Sudan’s right to seek “justice and proportionate accountability” through the AU if Kenya’s actions persist unchecked.

Analysts suggest that this public rebuke could strain Kenya-Sudan relations, already fragile amid the broader regional dynamics of the Horn of Africa.

Kenya has positioned itself as a mediator in regional conflicts, hosting peace talks for Sudan in the past, but Agar’s accusations may cast doubt on its neutrality. With the AU set to address Sudan’s crisis in upcoming sessions, Ruto’s next moves will likely face intense scrutiny.