Sudan’s new VP Kiir to be sworn in Thursday

KHARTOUM, Aug 8 (AFP) — Salva Kiir, the successor to the late southern Sudanese leader John Garang, is to be sworn at a brief ceremony in Khartoum on Thursday, the official SUNA new agency reported Monday.

Earlier reports had said that Kiir, who replaced Garang as head of the former southern rebel Sudan People Liberation’s Movement/Army (SPLM/A) following his death in a helicopter crash, would take up his new post on Tuesday.

“There are some issues which were not resolved before the death of the late doctor John Garang, particularly nominations to the national unity government, the national assembly and to state councils,” SPLM deputy chairman Riek Machar was quoted as saying.