National Legislative Assembly in Juba, June 2013. Photo: Murray Olds/EyeRadio

Members of the SPLM parliamentary bloc have expelled former Vice President Dr. Riek Machar and Alfred Lado Gore from the National Parliament.

The SPLM Chief Whip in the National Legislative Assembly, Honorable Tulio Odongi, said the Parliament voted to dismiss the two from the parliament after the SPLM expelled them.

Honorable Odongi told Eye Radio that the treason charges against Dr. Riek Machar and Lado Gore mean they have violated the Constitution.

“Article 4 says;  the defense of the Constitution, No person or group of persons shall take or attain control of the state power except in accordance with this Constitution,” Mr Odongi read out an article in the constitution.

“Any person or group of persons who attempts to overthrow the constitutional government or suspend or abrogate this Constitution commits treason.

“That is a treasonable act, a coup itself is treasonable. So every citizen includes you and me and everybody. We have to defend the constitution.”

Hon Odongi called on the people of South Sudan to promote peaceful coexistence in the country despite political differences at government level.

“I am calling on everybody to mobilize both for unity and peace; the war we fought for 49 years is enough and we should now go to develop our country rather than destroying it.”

On Monday, President Salva Kiir, who is also the chairperson of the SPLM, issued a decree expelling Dr. Riek Machar, Taban Deng Gai and Alfred Lado Gore from the SPLM political bureau, National Liberation Council and membership of the party.