February 11, 2014 (JUBA) - South Sudanese president Salva Kiir Mayardit, who doubles as the chairman of the governing Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM), has terminated the party membership of three senior officials accused of plotting to overthrow the government.


Former vice-president turned rebel leader Riek Machar, along with two other senior political figures, are to be stripped of their membership to South Sudan’s ruling Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (Photo: Getty Images)

According to a statement broadcast on state-owned South Sudan Television (SSTV) on Monday, Kiir said he had terminated the membership of former vice-president Riek Machar, former Unity state governor Taban Deng Gai and former environment minister Alfred Lado Gore.

All three were senior members of the SPLM leadership council, including the political bureau and the national liberation council. Kiir quoted article 10 (b) and (e) of the 2008 constitution as the basis for his decision. Under the articles, a member can be stripped of party membership if expelled for violation of the constitution, rules and regulations, or decided to join any other political party.

However, the articles do not state how such provisions would be enforced or by who in the event the constitution is deemed to have been violated.

Kiir indicated last month that the men would face trial on charges of treason over their role in an alleged coup plot in mid-December.

The ensuing violence pitted forces loyal to Kiir against pro-Machar rebel fighters, bringing the country to the brink of civil war.

The conflict followed spiralling internal tensions over Kiir’s leadership style, culminating in his decision to sack his entire cabinet last July.

South Sudan’s justice ministry has laid treason charges against seven of 11 political prisoners who were detained in connection to their role in the alleged coup plot.

Seven have since been released and are now on bail in Kenya, while another four remain in custody.

Machar, Gai and Gore all remain at large.

(ST)

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11 February 2014 08:48, by Mi diit

Your own position and membership will soon be vacant Mrs. Akiir Mayardit. So why care about a drunkard chairman deciding trash.

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- 11 February 2014 08:57, by Malakal county Simon
  
  Mi diit
  You nailed it right brother!!!! He should be prepares for his safe exit, leave alone talking of the SPLM/A....
  
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  - 11 February 2014 09:02, by Malakal county Simon
    
    This illegal/drunken president is too delusional, to the extent, to entertained himself and to avoid possible heart-attack....
    
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    - 11 February 2014 13:43, by Hardlinner
      
      Education without reasoning is disease. This particular lack of reasoning is what pushing riek to seek leadership through hook and crooke. Same apply to kiir. These two people lack nutural abilities which form corner stone of a true leader. their lack of reasoning seem to have mared their characteristics leading to poor judgment, greediness and tribal associations.
      
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  - 11 February 2014 13:27, by Hardlinner
    
    Any one that support or advocate for mass murderer riek or kiir with his poor leadership and corruption is primitive and lack reasoning capacity. All I want every one to say is yes to resignation of kiir, riek, gatdet, pagan, nyandeng, majak agot, and their other cronies. I can assure every one that I’m more reasonable than kiir and riek irrespective of their position or qualification.
    
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- 11 February 2014 09:05, by Kus al-Junub
  
  Fire right on Riek Macahr ass,
  The so-called Pro-western “Gucci” coward. ‘The prophet of Doom’ is purveyors of falsehoods, fabrications, and liar as FM Ali Karti said.
  
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- 11 February 2014 11:14, by Bentiu son
  
  Bravo Midiit,you hit it right,Salva Kiir had already lost his legacy as former freedom fighters,as legitimate elected President for massacred people who elected him in Office,and as Chairman of ruling party SPLM due to his continuous violations of South Sudan Constitution as well as SPLM ones.Instead,Salva Kiir had already dismissed himself from SPLM because majority of Party founders are standing
  
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  - 11 February 2014 11:27, by Bentiu son
    
    against his dictatorial tendencies within the SPLM.Hence Salva Kiir is unwanted one instead of calling to dismisses those true prominent members of SPLM/A.Kiir is deadly scares to challenge Dr Machar in Election which led into his faked coup attempt conspiracy which brought chaos n turmoils across the country now.Well,this is what you wanted to happen but mind you that your poor strategy created W
    
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- 11 February 2014 11:48, by Gat Gan Kiir
  
  He terminate the membership only, but they are working hard to terminate your life. You will see it soon
  
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  - 11 February 2014 12:54, by Hardlinner
    
    Choosing kiir over riek is matter of being human being. Though I don’t support kiir leadership along side the current or terminated one or those inprisoned. At current state south sudan lack civilized leaders. Whether nuer, dinka or other, the current leaders lean toward primitive standard. The reason being that these leaders act more like tribalist than national leaders.
    
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  - 11 February 2014 13:04, by Hardlinner
    
    South sudan need leaders who think independently of their own nuclear parents let alone the tribe. Tribe to me can be regarded of monkey character. Human being shouldn’t have tribal associates. The fundamental laws of the universe define each life as individual entity. Kiir and riek are individuals with self centred primitive traits. They must go along side their cronies that thinks like them.
    
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  - 11 February 2014 13:16, by Hardlinner
    
    Any person with human characteristics will advocate for resignation of kiir and riek from politics. Kiir can not handle corruption and riek is not ashame of his rebellion tendencies and lives lost through his quest for leadership. Nuer can not install some one that other s sudanese do not approve of nor can kiir impose his poor leadership on s sudanese.
    
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- 11 February 2014 12:43, by Hardlinner
  
  It was mistake to restate riek in splm. This primitive would stop at nothing to realise self impose presidency. This animal/riek will only rule over our dead bodies. A senseless primitive have no place in south sudan. We would not object if primitive riek become nuer village chief, king, president, prophet or whatever. But the idea of him becoming south sudan president goes against logic.
  
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- 11 February 2014 13:09, by Kalo
  
  Midiit,we are tied of Machar,let him go and form his own party.
  
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- 11 February 2014 13:51, by Thongdit
  
  Midit there is no such name in Dinka. the only name is either Kiir or Nyankiir
  
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- 11 February 2014 13:56, by Thongdit
  
  If your intention was to call him with female name so be it. But always remember to call him NYANKIIR!!!
  
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11 February 2014 09:00, by Wicdail

This primitive (Kirr) is trying everything that can secure him from being challenge by Dr. Rick. The last thing for him against Dr.Rick and his group is to degree the withdrawn of their citizenship AHAHAHAHAH!!!! what a fool leader the world never had?

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- 11 February 2014 09:04, by Malakal county Simon
  
  This illegal/drunken president is too delusional, to the extent, to entertained himself and to avoid possible heart-attack....
  
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11 February 2014 09:11, by Marco Bul

Nuer comments are always about abuses.Riek has formed SSRM Party.Why are you abusing Mr Tikyualkuoth??

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- 11 February 2014 11:01, by Bentiu son
  
  Salva boys what war are you talking about thug? should it not your husband Museveni’s UPDF involvement in war by now Dr Machar would had had sipped his coffee in Juba say by your coward killer Kuol Manyang.Waged tribal war against Nuer dud needs regional allies otherwise it is suicide to face angry Nuer in war.Kenya President Uhuru Kenyata do not imitates regional killer Museveni genocide behavior
  
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11 February 2014 09:31, by Alfredo christiani

Congratulations Mr. President, you better to sack them all from membership of the SPLM/A .For Midi and the rest of internet warriors, you are all defeated by militarily and politically, even if to form another political party, you are going to be defeat by ballots box, you surrender yourselves or seek for political asylum, fools always do not understand. Hahahahahahahahha SPLM/A OYEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

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11 February 2014 10:18, by Lion Son

I have seen nothing wrong with the termination of party membership from these three politicians. To me, they are given freedom to form their party to challenge Kiir democratically than by force as they did. I am a true South Sudanese who love stability of my beloved country, who doesn’t abuse my fellow citizen aimlessly, who doesn’t stand for tribes neither Nuer, Dinka, Dor, Shilluk etc. Guys!!

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- 11 February 2014 11:01, by Ankh
  
  Lion son
  That is what they have been doing from the get go, challenging Kiir for the party chairmanship but illegal president reacted by jailing them and massacre of Nuer.
  In the future if one wants to contest the chairmanship of splm will they be chased away from the party?
  
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11 February 2014 11:45, by bianaathling

I wonder why Kiir repeating himself.it was just broadcasted on sst that these well educated guys their membership are removed or terminated by illiterate and drinker president who has no option.Its only u now whose terminating is approaching and stop playing with Spla party although it’s spoiled already by you.

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11 February 2014 13:02, by Lion Son

Dear Readers,
I thinks abusing each other here such as president, your own brothers/sisters who you will share the same thing later will not heal the wound or solving any problem. We are all South Sudanese but let your comments not fall on tribal line as you guys think. All in all, Mr. president has done his job of which none of us is qualified to reverse it. Let not waste of our time for nothing

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- 11 February 2014 18:40, by Peacocktail
  
  The President and Chairman of the Party is NOT a man of PEACE as people think. he is supporting tribal wars to continued in order to loot the country resources. He did the least which is not the Priority’’ Removing your fellow Countrymen from the Party is nothing then calling for escalation of wars as family ENJOY in the AUSTRALIA and Greater UPPER NILE citizens suffers, his goal is achieved. Kii
  
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