NSS: Oyet blocked from travelling due to lack of permission from Kumba

JUBA – South Sudan’s National Security Service (NSS) has admitted to preventing the First Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Oyet Nathaniel Pierino, from traveling due to the lack of permission from the Speaker of Parliament, Jemma Nunu Kumba.

This follows Oyet’s claim that he was barred by the NSS from departing at Juba airport. Oyet, who also serves as the deputy chairman of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement in Opposition (SPLM-IO), said in a statement yesterday that the NSS had interfered with his travel plans.

In response, the NSS released a statement clarifying their actions. According to the agency, the service is obligated to ensure that constitutional office holders have the necessary authorization from their superiors before traveling.

“The National Security Service Internal Security Bureau has received news of alleged obstruction of the Revitalized Transitional National Legislative Assembly’s First Deputy Speaker, Rt. Hon. Oyet Nathaniel Pierino, a news that does not mirror the mandate of the Service,” the NSS said.

The statement further elaborated that NSS protocols mandate that post holders must obtain proper permission before departing the country.

“As a matter of necessity, the National Security Service is mandated under section13(3) of the NSS Act, 2014 to maintain security, protect the constitution, national social fabric and safety of South Sudanese from any internal or external danger,” the agency said.

“In this respect, the security and safety of airport travelers and most especially of the post constitutional holders is the role of the service and this implies that any government official whether being senior or junior should avail their travel permission from their respective institutions to airport security controllers. This guarantees official knowledge of the government employees’ traveling manifest especially in the event of security and safety breach that may arise,” it added.

The security agency emphasized that Oyet failed to present the appropriate travel documents, submitting instead a self-issued leave document. Sudans Post cannot independently very a copy of the documents said to have signed by Oyet as it doesn’t use the name on the official passport.

“Rt. Hon. Oyet Nathaniel Pierino do not avail his official travel permission or leave from R-TNLA and instate provided a document signed by him in his capacity as the First Deputy Speaker of the August House, permitting himself a leave permission,” it said.

“The document was received by the airport security agents and scrutinized and found out to have been a “self-permitted” leave solely signed by him and according to procedures and channels of permissions or leaves understood by the security agents operating within the House, all such documents are solely written and signed by the Speaker of the R-TNLA who is constitutional vested with powers to oversee the daily activities of the National Parliament,” it added.

The agency criticized Oyet’s actions, labeling them as a breach of protocol that it warned is punishable by law.

“So, the act that the national MP conducted by issuing a “self-permitted” leave is unilateral and an act of insubordination that is meant to undermine the authority and administration of the Speaker of the August House of which it is punishable by the law and equally portrays lack of acquaintance with the R-TNLA rules and regulations as well as the NSS Act, 2014,” it said.

The intelligence agency also rejected Oyet’s accusations that the agency had violated his rights by blocking his travel, stating that the matter was being misrepresented and that Oyet’s claims that he was told that the directive comes from the head of the agency, General Akol Koor, was untrue.

“On the other hand, the decision by the First Deputy Speaker to go rampage on social media, labelling the NSS and the DG as institution and individual that infringes fundamental human rights and freedom of movement of people across the country is unlawful and does not reflect the mission and vision of the service,” it said.

The service called upon the public to view Oyet’s conduct as undermining authority.

“Therefore, the NSS calls upon the public to treat such behavior as undermining of authority and an act of insubordination that is meant to divert the public attention negatively towards the DG and the ISB as a whole,” it concluded.