Members of South Sudan’s upper house of parliament voted during today’s sitting and elected SPLM party member Arthur Akuen as deputy speaker of parliament.

Arthur, who had served as minister of finance in the government of Southern Sudan, succeeds Remio Oler who went to Cairo since the last two years for treatment.

The Speaker of the Council of States Joseph Bol said Akuen's candidacy for the post came at the request of council members to fill the post of deputy speaker which has been vacant for nearly two years.

The newly appointed deputy speaker vowed to serve the ruling SPLM party, saying his election to assume the position was due to Oler's inability to execute his duties satisfactorily.