By Ngor Deng Matem
A Member of Parliament in Northern Bahr el Ghazal state’s assembly who was arrested on the 1st of March 2022 said that he was detained for 6 hours at the National Security detention facility in Aweil without charges.
William Wel Deng was elected in 2010’s General election on the ticket of the SPLM to represent Aweil North County.
Last year, William was appointed by the Presidential Decree as an MP in the state Assembly but on the 1st March 2022, William was prevented from taking oath as an MP in a ceremony conducted at the state Assembly’s premises in Aweil town.
“They said I defamed the SPLM and SPLM leaders with no justification. I was not summoned but they rushed to the NSS office for my arrest saying I violated SPLM party policies but they didn’t say the article in the constitution I have violated,” Wel narrated.
Some local leaders in Aweil North County said they were asked to nominate a replacement but they declined.
“We didn’t complain against our MP William Wel and if the state government wants to replace him, then it is their responsibility and therefore we cannot nominate anyone until the next election time,” one of the community leaders who spoke on the condition of anonymity expressed his opinion.
Garang Kiir Ngong, a citizen in Gok Machar Town said that the arrest of the lawmaker was a humiliation to the entire community of Aweil North County.
“We elected him as MP and our President again appointed him using powers given to him by the constitution of the country because we elected the President during the election. So, it was our surprise when we heard he was arrested,” he said.
Last year when the President of the Republic of South Sudan appointed the MPs as per the Revitalized Peace Agreement, five members of Parliament in Northern Bahr el Ghazal state Assembly were left out.