Experts welcome reconstitution of transitional legislative assembly

JUBA – South Sudanese Juba-base experts and civil society groups have welcomed the reconstitution of the transitional national legislative assembly, describing it as a millstone toward the implementation of the 2018 peace deal.

South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir on Monday evening issued a republican decree reconstituting the Transitional National Legislative Assembly.

The order announced on state TV-South Sudan Broadcasting Corporation (SSBC) includes members of the SPLM, National Agenda, the Democratic Change, SPLM-IO, South Sudan Opposition Alliance, Other Opposition Parties and Former Detainees.

The order comes two days after the president dissolved both the Transitional National Legislative Assembly and the Council of states.

“This is a good step toward implementation of the peace agreement because there are like four milestones that would have be done in the implementation of the peace agreement,” Abraham Kuol Nyuon, Dean of School of Social and Economic Studies at University of Juba told Sudans Post in phone interview this morning.

“One is the reconstitution of the executive body which was done in February last year and second is the reconstitution of the parliament which was done last evening and thirdly is the reunification of the army and lastly is the constitutional reforms. Some of the commissions need to be reconstituted and re-strengthen,” Kuol added.

Nyuon sounded hopeful that the parliament will be able to endorse some of the reform laws which are crucial for the implementation of the peace pact.

“As a result of this, we hope that some of the laws that were hanging or not endorsed by the parliament and some of the bills that were not presented will have the opportunity to be presented,” he said.

Edmund Yakani, Executive Director of the Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO) called on the lawmakers to deliver services to the citizens.

“We want them to be loyal to the nation rather than the parties that brought them to the parliament. And this means they should deliver services to the citizens,” Yakani said.

James David Kolok, Executive Director for Foundation for Democracy and Accountable Governance (FODAG) stressed the need for lawmakers to quickly pass the national budget as soon as they resume activities.

“It is a welcomed development but I think there are a lot of things that need to happen if we are going to see an effective parliament that is able to contribute toward implementation of the peace agreement,” David said.