By Kiden Stela Mandela and Ochaya Jackson
President Salva Kiir has not heeded to Inter-Governmental Authority on Development IGAD’s demand to melt the current Parliament which houses 400 MP’s before Sunday 26th July, 2020, in an effort to speed up the implementation of the agreement.
IGAD on the 14th July, 2020 held its 36th Extraordinary Assembly of Heads of State and Governments via videoconference, chaired by Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok, and after it issued communiqué that appealed to President Salva Kiir, to dissolve the current Transitional National Legislative Assembly (TNLA). before 26th July, 2020, and urged the parties to reconstitute the TNLA with 550 Parliamentarians within one week upon dissolution of the incumbent Parliament in accordance with the Revitalized Agreement.
However, Presidential Press Secretary, Ateny Wek Ateny when contacted on the matter said it is not about deadline but parties living up to implement the agreement.
“Is not about setting deadline, is about bringing parties to live up to the implementation of the revitalized peace agreement which is now almost coming to achieve its goals. We are left with only one State that is Upper Nile which Dr. Riek was asked to resolve by bringing other nominee instead of Olony”, Ateny told No. 1 Citizen Daily Newspaper on Sunday in an interview.
“And also the reconstitution of the Parliament is a process….it is going to happen very soon as the parties now are coming up with their nominees as soon as possible the Parliament will be reconstituted”, he added.
When asked exactly when would the Parliament be reconstituted since the ultimatum set by the IGAD passed without anything, he said “I cannot name the date…. there is committee that is actually working to reconstitute the Parliament they are the ones to set the date”.
IGAD said also in its communiqué that “in the event that the Parties are not able to settle outstanding pre-transitional tasks within 30 days of adoption of the Communiqué, that is on or before 13th August, 2020, the IGAD Chair will intervene to directly engage with Parties with a view to assist in concluding the pending matters”.
Recently President Kiir rejected Gen. Johnson Olony, SPLM-IO nominee for the position of Governor in Upper Nile State, pointing that Olony is still carrying arms and he is not in Juba.
Edmund Yakani Executive Director for Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO) said the interpretation of the agreement’s provisions by the parties is the one delaying the implementation.
“Issues of correct interpretation of R-ARCSS provisions is seriously contributing for the delay of R-ARCSS implementation. Recently through CEPO oversight observation, it was realized that the parties are messing up with matters of proper interpretation of R-ARCSS provisions”, said Edmund in a statement issued on Saturday 25th July, 2020, and seen by the No.1 Citizen Daily.
The provision 1.14 of the peace agreement, section 1.14.2, states that the TNLA shall be expanded to 550, in which the incumbent TGoNU under President Kiir will have 332 members, SPLM-IO under First President Riek Machar will have 128, South Sudan Opposition Alliance (SSOA) will have 50, Other Political Party (OPP) 30, and Former Detainees will have 10 members of parliament respectively.
Again section 1.14.3 has it that the Speaker of TNLA shall be nominated by the Incumbent, one deputy speaker shall be nominated by SPLM-IO, and another who is to be a woman to be nominated by the incumbent, and a third deputy to be nominated by OPP.
And also according to the Revitalized peace agreement the duration and term of the TNLA shall be in line with the Revitalized Government of National Unity (R-TGoNU) until elections are held and the reconstituted TNLA shall support the agreement in the conduct of its business, and enact legislation that enables and assists the transitional processes and reforms described in the agreement.