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South Sudan swears in Gai as first vice president

Xinhua, July 26, 2016 Adjust font size:

South Sudan on Tuesday formally endorsed Taban Deng Gai as the first vice president in a power-sharing government.

The swearing-in followed the sacking of Riek Machar on Monday, throwing a peace deal signed in August 2015 into tatters amid fears that the world's youngest country could slide back to civil war.

President Kiir on Monday appointed Gai, a former chief negotiator of the former rebels Sudan People's liberation Movement in Opposition (SPLM-IO) after a faction of senior SPLM-IO members in Juba on Saturday endorsed Gai as head of the movement following Machar's exit from Juba after days of clashes between his forces and those loyal to President Kiir.

In his acceptance speech, Gai said he opted to step in as the leader of the SPLM-IO to fill a vacuum created by Riek's absence and also to save the August 2015 pact.

"Today I'm swearing in as the first vice president of this country. I have never struggled or dreamt of it, but circumstances forced us to fill a vacuum so that we save our nation. I assure the nation that will help you in moving forward this country," said Gai.

President Kiir last Thursday gave Machar a 48-hour ultimatum to return to Juba to join him with the implementation of the peace agreement.

Machar, however, declined the request insisting that he will only return to the capital Juba if a neutral regional force is deployed to separate the two rival army factions that clashed on July 7 leading to death of more than 270 people, mostly soldiers.

President Kiir on Tuesday defended his actions to appoint Gai as his deputy, maintaining that he followed recommendations from senior opposition leaders in Juba to get a replacement for Machar.

"The move taken by the SPLM-IO is a legal move. This was a decision from the top leadership of the opposition. So you have to talk to everybody in the country and internationally," Kiir said.

"What I want from you is to silence the guns and stop the war. Let us move forward and implement the peace agreement that we have signed because our people need peace," Kiir said.

The South Sudan leader also said he will not allow additional foreign troops to enter his country, adding that he is ready to work with the SPLM-IO and the international community to implement the peace agreement.

"The agreement did not stop the war. I want us really to see where we go wrong. Let us continue to look for the loopholes so that we fill them with whatever is needed so that our people remain in peace," he said.

A spokesperson for Machar, James Gatdet Dak, said the removal of Machar as the opposition's leader was 'illegal', adding that right procedures and party rules were not followed during the leadership change.

South Sudan just recovered from more than two years of conflict following the formation of transitional unity government in April were Machar was put as first vice president before his sacking by President Kiir Monday evening. Endit