Two parliamentary committees want Kenya and the East Africa Community at large to consider imposing sanctions on South Sudan’s leaders if they fail to cooperate in a proposed unity government to end a bloody conflict.

Defence and Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Ndung’u Gethenji said they will also be seeking to freeze the assets of leaders who have been jostling for power in South Sudan and have enriched themselves, associates, and their families while much of the public suffers on the verge of famine through a savage civil war.

“We are looking at jointly bringing a Motion to the National Assembly to ensure that sanctions are targeted against those who are perpetuating war-like activities, genocide and killing and they may no longer enjoy having their assets in our county, their children studying in our schools in relative comfort in peace and security while they continue to destroy the lives of their people back in their own country. Kenya can no longer afford to have another failed state on its border,” he said.

The MPs expressed worry towards the renewed fighting in South Sudan’s capital Juba.

“The EAC must also stand up strong and say enough is enough and issue a notice for termination of membership of South Sudan, we must also look at sanctions targeted at those people who are involved in the fighting, who are involved in the financing and many of those people are living in Kenya, many of those people are living in Addis, many of those people are living in Khartoum, and this must end immediately,” Gethenji added.

National Security Committee Chairman Asman Kamama implored the warring parties to resolve problems and difference using dialogue and not by force of arms so that peace and stability can be regained.

“The situation is so bad that people have even problems getting food; Kenyans have lost businesses in billions, our banks were burnt. We want the region to advise Dr (Riek) Machar that the time for war is not now. The time for peace is what we need to pursue to its logical conclusion,” Kamama stated.

The renewed violence is fuelled by the rivalry between South Sudan President, Salva Kiir and Vice-President Machar. It has so far claimed over 300 lives.

Machar has since fled Juba and on Wednesday was reported to be on his way to South Africa for medical check-ups.

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Embattled former South Sudan First Vice President Riek Machar has travelled to South Africa but it is not clear he will seek asylum there.

Early last month the SPLM-IO faction allied to former vice president Riek Machar said it was planning to relocate its leader to either Kenya or Ethiopia. The announcement was made by Peter Gatkuoth, who said that Machar would also tour some countries to clarify the armed group’s position on the peace agreement after the Juba events.

However, at about the same time Kenya President Uhuru Kenyatta said talks spearheaded by the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) were underway to try and relocate the rebel leader to South Africa.

But according to another SPLM-IO spokesperson Mabior Garang, their leader, who has been holed in Sudan for about a month, will not seek asylum in South Africa.

In July Machar fled the South Sudan capital Juba for the bushes in the northern part of the country following confrontation between his troops and soldiers loyal to President Salva Kiir and later moved to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

He later on moved to Khartoum in Sudan, reportedly for treatment and has been staying in his country’s northern neighbour since then.

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A former student of Zimbabwe (UZ) Tonderai Dombo has claimed the registrar’s department is withholding his certificate and those of others as punishment for protesting in front of President Robert Mugabe at the recent graduation ceremony.

The trio of Dombo, Alex Mukamba and Tembinkosi Rushwaya protested at the graduation ceremony, expressing displeasure over the high unemployment rate and worsening economic situation in the country. They were later fined $10 each on public nuisance charges.

After the protest, Higher and Tertiary Education minister Jonathan Moyo threatened to withhold their degrees, as punishment for their open protest.

Dombo said yesterday that they had been told by officials in the registrar’s department that they would not get their certificates for reportedly embarrassing the institution in Mugabe’s presence.

“Firstly, I have been going to my faculty to look for my certificate and I was told it was not there. I was told I should check with the registrar, but at the registrar’s office I was told it was not there as well. Officials there told me to leave, but I refused, saying they had to give me a satisfactory answer,” he said, adding security was called to throw him out.

“I was then told I embarrassed the institution and, as such, I would not receive the certificate. My other colleagues were told the same.”

Dombo said he will engage lawyers to force the institution to release his certificate.

“I am now going to take legal action if they insist on not giving me (my certificate). I will look for a lawyer to take up our case, because, as far as I am concerned, they have no legal standing to act in the manner they are doing,” he said.

Dombo said he was awarded a place to pursue a master’s degree at UZ before the graduation protest and was shocked to hear they wanted to stop him for the demonstration.

However, UZ spokesperson, Daniel Chihombori said certificates were issued to graduates on the day of the graduation ceremony.

“We suspect that on the day, the said individuals were not at the venue, where the certificates were being issued,” he said.

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