Gov’t disowns remarks admitting failure to provide cars to newly-appointed lawmakers

JUBA – South Sudan’s ministry of information has denied in a brief statement that information minister Michael Makuei Lueth has made remarks admitting government inability to provide cars to newly appointed lawmakers.

On May 11, social media users circulated a statement purportedly given by Makuei who is also the government spokesman saying some of the newly-appointed members of parliament will have to walk to parliament because the government won’t afford to provide them with cars.

This, according to what is now a false statement, is because the world’s youngest country is under economic crisis that won’t allow the government to provide cars to the 550 members of the Reconstituted Transitional National Legislative Assembly (R-TNLA).

“Some of newly reconstituted members of parliament will have to walk on foot from Gudele 2, Gumbo Shirkaat, New Site And other suburbs of Juba to national assembly, because government is currently under economic recovery and therefore cannot provide cars and accommodations in hotels to more than 550 members of Parliament,” Makuei purportedly said.

While it remains unclear where or when the minister senior government official made remarks, the ministry of information gave a brief statement on Facebook distancing itself from the remarks accusing some social media users of “misleading and feeding the public with baseless news.”

It said “since the President of the Republic reconstituted the Revitalized National Assembly, Minister of Information didn’t make any statement or press briefing or even comment,” it said, adding, “please don’t mislead the public.”