U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Jim Risch has condemned President William Ruto of Kenya for hosting leaders of Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF) a paramilitary group accused of committing genocide.
The Senator who led efforts in Congress to recognize RSF-led killings as genocide last year argues that Kenya’s diplomatic engagement with the RSF is an attempt to grant legitimacy to war criminals while mass killings continue in Sudan.
The condemnation comes as tensions mount over international efforts to broker peace in the war-torn nation.
The backlash stems from recent reports that Kenyan officials held meetings with RSF leaders sparking outrage among human rights activists and international lawmakers.
The Senator who has been vocal about holding Sudan’s perpetrators accountable criticized Kenya’s role in these negotiations stating that it undermines justice for over 150,000 victims of the Sudan conflict.
RSF which has been battling the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) since April 2023 has been accused of mass killings, ethnic cleansing and widespread human rights violations.
According to Senator, U.S. formally recognized the RSF’s actions as genocide in January 2025 marking a significant policy shift in Washington.
However, Kenya a key U.S. ally in East Africa has allegedly chosen to engage with RSF leaders under the guise of peacemaking a move that some view as diplomatic action but others see it as betrayal of justice.
Kenya has historically positioned itself as a regional mediator playing a crucial role in previous peace negotiations including those in South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo. However, its engagement with the RSF has raised ethical and strategic questions.
Kenyan officials have not issued a formal response to the allegations but maintain that dialogue is necessary to end the ongoing violence.
Opposition argue that engaging with the RSF without strict accountability measures risks whitewashing their actions and allowing impunity to persist.
The U.S. Senator’s criticism reflects broader concerns about how the international community should approach Sudan’s crisis.
With millions displaced and mass killings still unfolding, many believe that any diplomatic engagement with RSF leaders must come with clear conditions including commitments to justice, human rights and an end to violence.
Meanwhile, Sudan remains engulfed in one of Africa’s most brutal conflicts with reports of indiscriminate killings, sexual violence and mass displacement continuing to emerge.
