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December 8, 2013 (JUBA) - President Salva Kiir Mayardit will hold a "important" press conference on Monday apparently to comment on ongoing internal political struggle within South Sudan with, according to a press release from his office.

South Sudan’s Salva Kiir addresses the media in Juba May 2, 2013 (Reuters/Paul Banks)

Kiir is expected to make a statement on "current developments," a presidential aide told Sudan Tribune on Sunday without directly referring to the recent press conference held by senior disaffected members of the SPLM; the former rebel group who have governed South Sudan since a 2005 peace deal.
Copies of a number of newspapers who coverage the conference, in which Kiir was described as having "dictatorial tendencies", were confiscated by South Sudanese security personnel.

In a surprise announcement in November Kiir suspended most of the party’s structures, stating that it was an inevitable consequence of failing to hold a national convention earlier this year to elect a new leadership ahead of the 2015 elections.

It remain unclear what other issues the head of state intends to address at the conference which comes months after dissolving his entire cabinet in July, removing his long-time vice president, Riek Machar and suspending the SPLM’s powerful secretary general, Pagan Amum, who has also been barred from leaving the country and making press statements.

Although some faces from the previous government retained their positions, the new cabinet is largely made up of new faces, while some served in the government of Sudan before the secession in 2011.

The president is scheduled to make his statement at 11am but media houses are invited to arrive by 9:30am.
(ST)

• Kiir downplays significance of ultimatum by senior SPLM members
• S. Sudan authorities confiscate newspapers that covered SPLM press conference
• SPLM leaders to hold press conference with Machar on Friday
• Senior SPLM colleagues give Kiir ultimatum over party crisis
• Machar concerned over delays in convening SPLM meetings