Kenya Commercial Bank maintains plans to open S. Sudan branch

NAIROBI, Aug 5, 2005 — State-run Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB) said Friday would go ahead with plans to open a new branch in the southern Sudanese town of Rumbek, despite security uncertainties following the death of ex-rebel leader John Garang.

Bank chief Terry Davidson said Garang’s death might slow the opening of a branch — plans for which were announced a month after a landmark January peace deal ending Sudan’s 21-year north-south civil war — but not stop it.

“The tragic demise of Garang is a major shock and that’s what may slow our plans … but all logistics are on track,” he told reporters at a news conference here.

“We are working with the Sudanese authorities to open the bank by the end of the year,” Davidson said. “It is a working process, we look at how the situation is.”

News of Garang’s death in a July 30 helicopter crash sparked days of deadly riots this week in Khartoum and southern towns that killed at least 130 people but while tension remains, calm has largely returned.

Davidson said that should conditions deteriorate, KCB would reconsider opening the branch in Rumbek which until now has been spared any violence.

“If it deteriorates then it will put our plans on hold, but if everything goes on as planned, then we’ll set up the bank,” he said.

(AFP/Sudan Tribune)