South Sudan's President Salva Kiir said on Monday that National Dialogue sessions will kick off in early March after members of national parliament return back from recess.

This comes during his public address in Yei town where he attended centenary celebrations of the Episcopal Church of Sudan and South Sudan.

Kiir said the National Dialogue will be launched in the first week of March, saying the dialogue will continue for four months."The national dialogue is a matter of urgency so that we see what will be the next step. Now our members of the national legislature are on recess, they will come back in the end of this month, so when they come, we will kick off the sessions of the national dialogue, "said Kiir.

President Kiir reiterated his commitment to implement the signed peace agreement with the incumbent First Vice President Taban Deng Gai who replaced Riek Machar after the outbreak of clashes in Juba in July 2016.

Previously, the President said the broader objectives of the National Dialogue are to end violent conflicts in South Sudan, reconstitute national consensus, and save the country from disintegration and usher in a new era of peace, stability and prosperity.

Kiir orders execution of rapist

Separately, President Kiir has ordered the National Minister of Defense Kuol Manyang Juuk and the SPLA chief of staff Paul Malong to publicly execute members of the armed forces if found raping women and girls in South Sudan.

Kiir said his office has been receiving complaints about continuous cases of SPLA soldiers committing human rights abuses against civilians, saying the issue needs tough actions to save the lives of people.

The President directed the defense minister and the SPLA chief of staff to implement the instruction immediately to stop soldiers who plan to commit human rights abuses against citizens.

The South Sudanese leader urged churches and human rights bodies not to interfere with the directive, while protesting against human rights violations in the country.“If a soldier rapes a woman or a girl, his punishment must be a bullet on the head in front of the public," said Kiir.

" With me here are the minister of defense Kol Manyang and SPLA chief of staff Paul Malong, two of you from today onward, you must present to me a report that this person has done this and we have shot him dead, " he added.

Kiir admitted that the decision may attract criticism from human rights groups and religious leaders in the country, saying it is an attempt to restore stability in South Sudan.

“But there are some people here who will run to the UN and say that there are people killing people. We need to do one thing by getting rid of bad elements among us, and we remain clean and perfect, and that is what is going to happen," he said.

"However, the religious leaders will not be happy on hearing a person being shot because of committing a crime and will have to do it," he added.

File photo: President Kiir addresses people in Yei town on Monday 6 Feb. 2017(Radio Tamazuj)