Sierra Leone's president fires VP, after party expelled him

FREETOWN, Sierra Leone - Sierra Leone's president on Wednesday fired his vice president, who was kicked out of their political party earlier this month on accusations of fomenting violence and trying to form a new party.

Early Wednesday, President Ernest Bai Koroma announced that he had removed Vice President Samuel Sam-Sumana from office, citing a constitutional requirement that anyone running for vice president be a member of a political party.

Sam-Sumana was expelled from the ruling All People's Congress political party on March 6. The party statement made several accusations against Sam-Sumana including that he was instigating unrest. Sam-Sumana has rejected the accusations against him.

On March 14, soldiers disarmed the security team at Sam-Sumana's residence. He then fled, saying he didn't feel safe, and asked the U.S. embassy for asylum. The U.S. did not grant asylum and urged all sides to resolve the problem through the rule of law.

Earlier this week, Sam-Sumana returned to his home and a group of the country's political parties tried to negotiate a solution.

When Koroma dismissed Sam-Sumana from his post on Wednesday, the president said that by seeking asylum, Sam-Sumana showed "a willingness to abandon his duties and office as vice president of our beloved republic."

Koroma's move is likely to be controversial because it is not clear if membership in a political party is a requirement for sitting vice presidents. Already, the main opposition party has criticized Sam-Sumana's expulsion from his party, warning it could create a constitutional crisis at a time when the country is struggling to beat Ebola.

While Sierra Leone's Ebola epidemic has slowed somewhat, the disease continues to spread in some parts of the country. Sam-Sumana himself was under self-quarantine because of possible exposure to one of his body guards who came down with Ebola. Sam-Sumana's 21-day incubation period ended on Tuesday.