![President Salva Kiir Mayardit signs Late Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki's condolence book upon his arrival in Nairobi on 28 April 2022. [Photo via Radio Tamazuj]](https://i0.wp.com/www.sudanspost.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/626fab080dbf3.jpeg?resize=512%2C300&ssl=1)
Machar is the leader of the main armed opposition Sudan People’s Liberation Movement in Opposition (SPLM-IO), while Pagan is the head of the holdout Real SPLM which is negotiating a peace deal with the government in Italy.
According to a communique released by the SPLM on Friday morning, the decision to remove the two former senior members of the party was reached during a meeting of the political bureau chaired by President Kiir on Thursday night.
The communique said the two men have lost their membership of the SPLM party since forming their own political parties and recommended to the National Liberation Council to effect the decision during its next meeting.
Peter Lam Both, the Interim Secretary-General of the SPLM, said all former members of the SPLM political bureau including former detainees have returned to their previous positions with exception of Machar who was the [first deputy chair, and Amum who was the secretary-general.
“The Political Bureau also recommends to the national liberation council the replacement of Comrade Pagan Amum and Comrade Riek Machar from the structure of the SPLM as they already profited from their memberships by establishing other political parties,” he said.
The senior SPLM official further revealed that the membership of the political bureau has been increased to 35 and that the SPLM-IO for peace under Vice President Taban Deng Gai has dissolved itself and become a part of the SPLM.
There is no problem with the order and the replacement of the political who form their own party. We just need the implementation of the agree, because that Aruasa agreement it is political agreement but this RTNGOU for civilian seek.