JUBA – South Sudan’s Transitional National Legislative Assembly (TNLA) adjourned its session on Monday to discuss the Reconstituted Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission’s (RJMEC) quarterly report regarding the implementation of the 2018 peace deal, due to the absence of the commission’s representatives.
The body monitoring the 2018 peace deal in April tabled its first quarterly report to the Transitional National Legislative Assembly (TNLA) on the progress made in the implementation of the peace agreement.
The report raised concern over the little progress related to making the permanent constitution and activating electoral processes.
The report to be presented by Bona Deng Lawrence, Chairperson of the Standing Specialized Committee on Peace and Reconciliation, Legislation, and Justice, was deferred due to the absence of key members of peace monitoring bodies.
Bona Deng Lawrence, the chairperson of the committee on peace and reconciliation, said, “We did not extend them an invitation because it was presented by RJMEC in the house, and so it is meant for the house.”
However, the speaker of parliament, Dr. Jemma Nunu Nkumba, adjourned the sitting, saying the report can’t be presented in the presence of the National Transitional Committee (NTC) and the Reconstituted Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (RJMEC).
Some lawmakers disagreed with the speaker’s decision to adjourn the sitting.
Peter Lomude Francis, a lawmaker representing Yei River County at the National Assembly, argued that the report should have been deliberated upon regardless of the absence of RJMEC representatives.
“It was the RJMEC that reported to the house to deliberate on it, and I think it is likely for us to proceed because the report was tabled to us by the RJMEC, and it is upon the house to deliberate on it,” said Lomude.
