S. Sudan Lawmakers Approve Parliamentary Speaker

South Sudan's parliament has approved long-time Unity state lawmaker Manas Magok Rundial as the new speaker of parliament, the last major position to be filled after President Salva Kiir fired his entire cabinet last month.

Lakes State Member of Parliament Parmena Awerial Aluong said it took lawmakers several weeks to appoint a new Speaker because they were considering half a dozen different candidates.

Rundial has represented Unity State in parliament since 2005, the year southern Sudan began forming its own government after rebels from the south signed a comprehensive peace agreement with the north, ending the decades-long Sudanese civil war.

He also served as governor of Unity State under the Khartoum regime.

Lawmakers also approved two deputy speakers, Jasmine Samuel of Western Equatoria and Mark Nyipouch of Western Bahr el Ghazal.