South Sudan to hold elections

South Sudan is expected to hold its general election between May and July this year.

 In May last year President Salva Kiir said the next general election that was originally scheduled to be held in 2015 will be pushed back to 2017 due to continued instability and violence in the country.

Fighting broke out in the oil-rich country about a year ago, pitting the President’s supporters against former Vice President Reik Machar's followers.

Kiir, an ethnic Dinka, accused Machar, an ethnic Nuer, of trying to oust him in a coup.

The UN says tens of thousands of people have died and one point nine million more have been displaced by warfare in the young nation.

NEWS 24