SPLM to investigate former vice-president

{{South Sudan’s ruling Sudan’s People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) will investigate the conduct of the country’s former vice-president and a deputy chairperson of the party, Riek Machar Teny, for allegedly using public media to discredit the government and announcing his presidential ambition.}}

“The leadership and the entire membership of the SPLM believe the former vice president went off track. He did not show respect and adherence to the guiding principles of the party. He did not completely follow basic rules and regulations.

He ignored the existence of these rules and went off track to not only criticize the president but used wrong channels to air out his personal opinions”, a senior official said Sunday.

The official, who occupies a key position at the national secretariat, said SPLM members were shocked to read statements coming out from the deputy chairperson.

“Comrade Riek Machar is the senior member of the leadership council. He is not just a member of the national Political Bureau but he is the deputy chairperson. He was also the vice-president for eight years, which means he was the chief execute administrator,” he said, adding; “in fact Kiir president delegated to him all the powers to run the government during the interim period (of the CPA implementation)”.

“He was the one in charge of everything. Now it was surprising seeing him coming out to blame President Salva Kiir. This was wrong”, he stressed.

These statements comes less than 24 hours following a warning message Machar issued through a local radio in Bentiu against any unilateral move to dismiss him of the ruling party. He told Naath FM on Friday that such measure could lead to chaos and instability in the country.

Machar reiterated further his criticism to Salva Kiir pointed out that recent decisions to dissolve the cabinet or suspending SPLM secretary general among others are taken without consulting the party leadership.

President Salva Kiir once again on Saturday during a meeting with the SPLM caucus in the parliament criticized those who challenge his leadership and added they have quit the party and form their own organization.

{agencies}