Sudanese President Omar el-Bashir issued a decree on Thursday naming Salva Kiir as first vice president, as several committees have been set up to investigate the death of Kiir's popular predecessor John Garang.

"The president of the republic has endorsed the name of Maj. Gen. Salva Kiir as first vice president, president of the southern Sudan government, and commander-in-chief of the forces of the SPLM," the official news agency said.

Kiir was chosen by his group to take over as chairman of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) after Garang, the former SPLM leader who reached a comprehensive peace deal in January with the Khartoum government, died in a helicopter crash on Saturday.

Investigations into Garang's death are underway as Bashir and his Ugandan counterpart Yoweri Museveni have formed committees to investigate the death. Kenya announced Thursday it will also take part in the inquiry.

The Kenyan government said it has accepted a request from the Sudanese government and former southern rebels to take part in the probe into the death of John Garang.

Kenyan government spokesman Alfred Mutua said the east African nation would put together a team of experts to join others from Uganda, the United States and Britain also taking part in the investigation.

"The Kenyan government has accepted the request to participate in an inquiry into the recent helicopter crash that led to the death of Dr. John Garang and other Sudanese and Ugandan nationals, " he said.

Many of Garang's supporters say the charismatic leader's sudden death was not an accident. But the SPLM and the Sudanese government have repeated they believe the crash was an accident due to poor weather.

Garang's remains will be interred Saturday in Juba. The southern town will become the capital of the autonomous region after the withdrawal of Sudanese government troops and once the provisional seat of the SPLM administration is moved there from Rumbek.

Garang's death has prompted violent riots in Khartoum and other cities over the past few days, in which at least 130 people were killed and more than 400 others were injured.

On Thursday, police were rounding up suspects deemed responsible for the riots. State media reported more than 1,400 suspects were arrested in Khartoum. In Juba, police detained dozens of people suspected of looting.

Source: Xinhua