Kiir directs parliament to continue sittings despite SPLM-IO boycott, to meet Machar next week

JUBA — President Salva Mayardit on Friday evening directed the parliament to continue its sittings despite the ongoing boycott by the main armed opposition SPLM-IO and called for a meeting with First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar Teny who doubles as the head of the SPLM-IO next week to discuss the boycott.

In a statement, the presidency said Kiir made these directives during a meeting with deputy chairman, James Wani Igga, and secretary-general, Peter Lam Both, of the SPLM to discuss the ruling party’s activities in the country in respect to the would-be 2023 elections.

“President Salva Kiir Mayardit in his capacity as the Chairman of SPLM, has this evening met in his Office with the members of SPLM National Secretariat to discuss the activities and plans of SPLM as a ruling party,” the presidency statement reads in part.

The SPLM deputy chairman and secretary-general, the statement said, “presented the report of SPLM activities across the States and Administrative Areasas well as  discussed the desire for the SPLM to engage Political Parties in the African [countries] especially the National Liberation Movements across the Continent to work together to address the issues of post- liberation politics and to improve SPLM foreign policy as the country is approaching for elections in 2023.”

The statement also said the meeting discussed SPLM engagements with other stakeholders to taking part in the upcoming 2023 elections in order to resolve outstanding issues in the implementation of the revitalized peace agreement including the SPLM-IO boycott of parliamentary sittings.

[The meeting] also discussed SPLM’s engagements with other political parties inside South Sudan in relations to the National Assembly, the Ammendments that are being discussed and passed by the Assembly as well as the current stalemate that occurred on Monday when the  SPLM-IO members boycotted the sittings because of the disagreement on the Political Parties Act,” it said.

In statement to the media following the meeting, Peter Lam Both said President Kiir called for a meeting of the presidency to discuss the parliamentary disagreement and directed the parliament to continue its business despite the SPLM-IO boycott.

“President Salva Kiir Mayardit has called for the Presidency meeting next week to address the incident  that occurred at the Parliament,” Lam said.

“It is not advisable for the National Assembly to stop the sittings because of  this matter and urged the Assembly to continue carrying out its functions as the Presidency resolves the stalemate,” he added.

Lam further claimed that “the National Constitutional Amendment Committee (NCAC) is a Bill  drafting committee and it has no legal competence to make laws in the Country but instead it is the right of NLA to make the Laws for the Country.”