Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni has condemned the “misuse of force” in the Sudan crisis, saying the fresh fighting undermines all progress made through dialogue over the last several months.

“We cannot keep papering over mistakes of unprincipled politics year after year,” President Museveni said on Sunday while addressing a regional African grouping, Igad

Museveni, who was among the mediators of the Sudan conflict, said an “unconditional and immediate cessation of hostilities to stop the tragedy and mockery of Africa is of utmost importance”.

He blamed Sudan leaders’ of what he termed as “ideological and strategic governance errors”, saying “even fighting must be for principled cause”.

The Ugandan leader said the ultimate arbitration on Sudan’s political crisis should be brought back to the people in an election.

The two rival Sudanese military groups had in recent months made progress towards the formation of a new civilian-led transitional government. But the groups disagreed on, among other things, the timeline for the absorption of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) into the regular army.

The divisions delayed a political deal aimed at re-establishing civilian rule by 11 April.