![South Sudan member of parliament Bor Gatwech Kuany [Photo via Facebook]](https://i0.wp.com/www.sudanspost.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/27629369_10155696722763393_9165121025468868732_o.jpg?ssl=1)
On Saturday last week, President Salva Kiir dissolved the Incumbent Transitional National Legislature ahead of formation of peace parliament provided for in the revitalized peace agreement. On Monday, the South Sudanese president appointed 550 officials representing different parties to the R-TNLA as lawmakers.
Among those who were not reappointed into the parliament are members of the Vice-President Taban Deng Gai’s SPLM-IO and some lawmakers who were elected into then Southern Sudan Transitional Legislative Assembly during the 2010 Sudanese general elections.
Bor Gatwech was a member of parliament who was elected for a constituency in Jonglei state’s Greater Akobo. In 2013, he deserted his position and went to fight alongside SPLM-IO until the signing of a peace agreement in 2015 and returned to Juba as part of that peace’s implementation.
Following the reconstruction of parliament in 2016, Bor was reappointed to parliament as the peace deal provides for reinstatement of former members who deserted their positions following the outbreak of war in Juba.
He was among those dismissed last week from parliament, but was not among those reappointed on Monday by President Salva Kiir Mayardit and Sudans Post decided to contact as to whether the decision by President Salva Kiir to leave him out of the new parliament violates the peace agreement.
“The agreement didn’t confirm whether elected MPs must remain following reconstitution of parliament as it was the case for the 2015 peace agreement,” Gatwech told Sudans Post from Juba on Friday. “So it left everything to the parties.”
Pressed on why Vice-President Taban Deng Gai is not represented in the new parliament, the former lawmaker said the vice-president’s group could not be represented separately because it is now a part of the ruling SPLM faction.
“No one is representing our group in this appointment [separately],” Gatwech said, adding “We are all SPLM.”
According to the revitalized peace agreement signed by Kiir and Machar in Addis Ababa in 2018, “The TNLA shall be expanded to five hundred and fifty (550) members” and gives the former ITGONU (that include the SPLM-IO-Taban faction 332 members, the SPLM-IO under FVP Machar 128 members, SSOA 50 members, OPP 30 members and FD 10 members.
It remains unclear why the SPLM-IO Taban’s faction was not represented in the latest appointment.
That is stupid question about members of vice President Taban Deng Gai. If they are became a ruling party SPLM and their party SPLM was given about 332 seats then, there is no need again to asked for members of vice President representatives. If you are left out then, go to your party SPLM and asking them should you done something wrong or otherwise, seek for another opportunity in your ruling party SPLM. Remember, being a member of the party doesn’t make you entitlement to hold that position forever.