KAMPALA
Former Tanzanian President Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete on Tuesday held high-level talks with President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni at State Lodge Nakasero, focusing on regional peace initiatives in South Sudan.
Kikwete, who currently serves as the African Union (AU) High Representative for the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea, paid a courtesy visit to Museveni to seek guidance on ongoing efforts to stabilise South Sudan.
According to a statement from the Presidential Press Unit (PPU), the meeting was aimed at “seeking consultation and wise counsel from President Museveni regarding the situation in South Sudan and ongoing regional efforts to support peace and stability in the country.”
Kikwete was appointed to the AU role in March 2026 by AU Commission chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf to spearhead mediation and political dialogue efforts in the volatile Horn of Africa region.
In his new assignment, Kikwete is expected to play a central role in facilitating implementation of peace agreements in South Sudan, addressing political deadlocks, and rebuilding trust among rival factions ahead of the country’s anticipated December 2026 elections.
The appointment is part of broader AU efforts to reinforce high-level engagement aimed at supporting a smooth political transition and restoring lasting peace in the world’s youngest nation.
Diplomatic sources indicate that Kikwete will maintain close contact with South Sudanese stakeholders while coordinating with regional leaders to harmonise peace initiatives under the AU framework.
Kikwete, born in 1950, served as President of Tanzania from 2005 to 2015. Prior to that, he was the country’s foreign affairs minister from 1995 to 2005 and a Member of Parliament during the same period.
He also chaired the African Union between 2008 and 2009 and later led the Southern African Development Community (SADC) troika on peace, defence and security from 2012 to 2013.
In 2016, Kikwete was appointed AU High Representative for Libya by former AU Commission chairperson Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, further cementing his role as a seasoned mediator in continental peace processes.
