South Sudan MPs extend president’s term until 2018

South Sudan’s lawmakers have overwhelmingly voted to extend incumbent President Salva Kiir’s term in office by three more years.

Thomas Wani Kundu, a senior parliament official, said on Tuesday that the vast majority of deputies voted to extend President Kiir’s mandate from 9 July 2015 to 9 July 2018.

“The tenure of the office of the president is extended by 36 months,” said Kundu, adding that the government’s proposal to extend its mandate and award itself continued legitimacy “was passed overwhelmingly.”

Elections in the bitterly-divided African country had been due to be held before July 9 under a provisional constitution. However, the current move formally ditched any plans for elections this year in the civil war-torn country.

The developments come as Kiir has recently rejected a proposed power-sharing deal with his former deputy and rebel leader, Riek Machar, with the aim of putting an end to 15 months of civil war in the country.