Salva Kiir Mayardit
Salva Kiir Mayardit | |
|---|---|
Kiir in 2015 | |
| 1st President of South Sudan | |
| Assumed office 9 July 2011 | |
| Vice President | Riek Machar Benjamin Bol Mel Taban Deng Gai Rebecca Nyandeng De Mabior Josephine Lagu |
| Preceded by | Position established |
| 2nd President of Southern Sudan | |
| In office 30 July 2005 – 9 July 2011 | |
| Vice President | Riek Macharudan |
| Preceded by | John Garang |
| Succeeded by | Position abolished |
| First Vice President of Sudan | |
| In office 11 August 2005 – 9 July 2011 | |
| President | Omar al-Bashir |
| Preceded by | John Garang |
| Succeeded by | Ali Osman Taha |
| 3rd Vice President of Southern Sudan | |
| In office 9 July 2005 – 11 August 2005 | |
| President | John Garang Himself (acting) |
| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | Riek Machar |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 13 September 1951 |
| Party | Sudan People's Liberation Movement |
| Spouse(s) | Mary Ayen Mayardit Aluel William Nyuon Bany |
| Children | 2 |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | Anyanya (1967–1972) Democratic Republic of the Sudan (1972–1983) SPLA (1983–2011) South Sudan (2011–present) |
| Years of service | 1967–present |
| Rank | Field Marshal |
| Commands | South Sudan People's Defence Forces Sudan People's Liberation Army Anyanya Battalion |
| Battles/wars | |
Salva Kiir Mayardit (born 13 September 1951), commonly known as Salva Kiir, is a South Sudanese politician who has served as the President of South Sudan since its independence on 9 July 2011. Prior to independence, he was the President of the Government of Southern Sudan, as well as First Vice President of Sudan, from 2005 to 2011. He was named Commander-in-Chief of the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) in 2005, following the death of John Garang.
Kiir was born to the Dinka ethnic group and joined Anyanya rebels fighting for Southern independence during the First Sudanese Civil War in 1967. Following the outbreak of the Second Sudanese Civil War in 1983, Kiir joined the new Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) rebel group led by John Garang as a member of its armed wing, the Sudanese People's Liberation Army (SPLA), eventually becoming the head of the SPLA. Following the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, the South gained autonomy under the leadership of Garang in July 2005. Following Garang's death at the end of the month, Kiir became the new President of the Southern Autonomous region, as well as First Vice President of the central government. Kiir won re-election as President following the 2010 South Sudanese general election. The following year, South Sudan gained independence after the 2011 South Sudanese independence referendum with Kiir as its inaugural President.
Kiir is widely regarded as a dictator and has been criticized by human rights groups and former allies for his violence toward opposition figures, censoring of the South Sudanese press, kleptocracy and refusal to allow elections.