Kiir’s appointment of Deng came after the president issued an ultimatum last week, demanding that Machar contact him within 48 hours and return to Juba to salvage the peace deal – under which the vice president must be chosen the South Sudan Armed Opposition – or face replacement.
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The power vacuum created by Machar’s exit encouraged a few of his colleagues in the SPLM-IO to orchestrate the installment of Taban Deng as leader, ostensibly on a temporary basis until Machar returned.
On Saturday, a group of officials from Mr Machar’s SPLM-IO nominated Mr Deng – the former lead negotiator for the rebels – as the acting First Vice President of South Sudan.
The pair of rivals signed a peace agreement late past year, under which Machar was once again made vice president.
His arrest comes as journalists in the country report increased pressure amid fighting between the supporters of President Salva Kiir and Vice President Riek Machar this month.
Pauline Adhong, director of media information at the South Sudan embassy in Nairobi, denied contents of a letter purporting that Kiir ordered soldiers deployed along the South Sudan-Democratic Republic of Congo border to ambush Machar.
Kiir said he had appointed Taban Deng Gai to the post on the “recommendation of the top leadership of the SPLM/A (IO)” – the group Machar heads.
“Yesterday (Monday) an estimated 2,442 refugees were received in Uganda from South Sudan”. Another 555 were received in Kiryandongo Settlement.
Since the conflict in the African nation began in December 2013, some 1.69 million people have been internally displaced by protracted fighting.
It used the example of Elegu, northern Uganda, where more than 11,000 refugees were at one point staying in a shelter designed for 1,000. “The majority of arrivals – more than 90 per cent – are women and children”, Yaxley said.
The United Nations is protecting tens of thousands of people at sites in Juba and elsewhere in South Sudan. However, the security situation remains volatile.
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Those arriving in Uganda reported ongoing fighting as well as looting by armed militias, burning down of homes and murders of civilians. Numerous refugees have been moved to the Nyumanzi transit centre, where they are receiving hot meals, water, shelter and other life-saving assistance; others have been taken to expanded reception centres in Pagirinya.
