SPLM’s Leadership Contest: Is President Kiir Getting Rid of Political Rivals (Dr. Machar, Pagan Amum and Madam Nyandeng)?

In the high sea of South Sudan politics: Kiir and the battle for the chairmanship of the SPLM

South Sudan’s president and chairman of the ruling Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM), Salva Kiir Mayardit, in a surprising move today has dissolved all the structures of the party. These include the highest executive organ, the Political Bureau (PB) and the National Liberation Council (NLC). In a press conference he held today, Kiir said he acted in that way because the party national convention, which was supposed to elect new leaders, had delayed since May, elapsing the lifespan of the existing structures.

Kiir’s remarks on SPLM “misinterpreted”, says minister–

South Sudan’s information minister, Michael Makuei Lueth, has said earlier media reports that the country’s president has dissolved structures of the ruling party (SPLM) were misinterpreted and taken out of context. On Friday, Sudan Tribune reported that Salva Kiir, also the SPLM chairperson had dissolved the party’s highest executive organ, Political Bureau (PB) as well as the National Liberation Council (NLC), when he argued that the structures were “illegitimate” and “outdated” by May this year. The president made these remarks during Friday’s opening of the SPLM leadership house in the capital, Juba on Friday, at which he verbally announced that only his office and the party secretariat would be the only ones to continue functioning. A committee, he added, would be formed a start reorganising the historical party from grass roots. “I want to say something about our structures. SPLM structures are not functioning. And we must accept that. We were supposed to hold the convention in May this year. Was it not the end of the 5 years? Do you think that today the structures still have the legitimacy to continue functioning? No, SPLM has dissolved itself alone”, Kiir said. “Only office of the chairman is the one not dissolved, nobody can dissolve it. Now I have all the powers to set up a committee to start reorganization from the grass root. When we talk about the National Liberation Council, or we talk about the Political Bureau, all these things are outdated. Even you in the secretariat; but now you the secretariat are caretakers to continue the duty of SPLM until when you are replaced or until when you are reappointed,” he added. However, in a statement he issued on the state-run SSTV on Sunday, Makuei had his own version of interpretation, implying the president’s message was simply misunderstood. “The chairman of the SPLM stated that yes last May we were supposed to have our convention. And since we have not done our convention up to now, so all the institutions of the party which should have been elected by now are operational outside their official period. So, he said ultimately we will dissolve these institutions”, the minister said. And we will only continue to operate with the secretariat general until that time when we set up a body; a secretariat that will actually begin the preparation for the third national convention, he added. The president, Makuei stressed, never said the dissolved the party’s institutions, contrary to what the media reported. “So, it is premature for us to conclude that he has dissolved them. But he will dissolve them not just like that but by an order which he will issue as the chairman of the party”, explained the minister.

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PaanLuel Wël

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PaanLuel Wël is the founder and editor-in-chief of PaanLuel Wël Media Ltd, a news website that covers news, opinions, analysis, history, culture and literature of South Sudan and the world. Founded in July 2011 by PaanLuel Wël to create a platform for free expression and constructive dialogue, the website features articles from various contributors, including columnists, commentators, poets, authors, activists and academics. PaanLuel Wël believes that media can play a vital role in informing, educating and empowering the people to participate in nation-building and social transformation. He also believes that media can foster a culture of dialogue, tolerance and diversity among different communities and groups, and hopes to inspire and mentor the next generation of South Sudanese writers and journalists.

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