By Bida Elly David
South Sudanese parliamentarian in the East African Legislative Assemble (EALA) has been accused of misconduct at Entebbe Airport during a mission to Bujumbura, Burundi.
In a statement seen by No.1 Citizen Daily Newspaper yesterday, Ugandan Civil Aviation Authority stated that the South Sudanese lawmaker who went through South Sudan parliamentary ticket to EALA stood up and began shouting, mocking and abusing everybody as the plane he was aboard was about to takeoff.
Uganda airport authority in its statement said following the intolerable threats, the captain on board had no option other than calling for security intervention to drive the honorable EALA member off the circumference of the plane to enable the journey continued.
The statement did not disclose where the honorable member was travelling only revealing the act of disruption he manifested leading to identification of his nationality.
“The above subject matter refers, on the 22nd –March-2023 at 14:20hrs. Ugandan airlines flight No.UR360 was departing from Entebbe International airport to Bujumbura, Burundi. A passenger, a South Sudanese by nationality with passport No.D00009338 and a diplomat (Member of the East African legislative Assembly) became unruly/disruptive. Stood up and started shouting and abusing everybody,” the statement party read.
The airport authority further stated that the misconduct of the lawmaker had caused insecurity concerns and aircraft delay for almost 30 minutes at Entebbe International airport.
Furthermore, the statement noted that the honorable member after being denied access to the plane threatened to exchange blows with the aviation security manager.
According to the information, the accused honorable member was believed to have unruly misbehaved under the influence of alcohol which dictated his professional conduct at the airport.
In an attached statement, the Embassy of South Sudan in Uganda confirmed receipt of the letter from the Ugandan Civil aviation Authority (UCAA) urging the authority to transit the letter of conduct to the highest authority.
In response to the document, Hon. Eche Likai Barri, Chairperson of Regional Integration and East African affairs from R-TNLA to EALA told No.1 Citizen Daily Newspaper that the Regional Parliament is still investigating the accusation labeled against his colleague.
Eche neither denied nor accepted the accusation noting that the findings will determine the fate of the blames since it is an internal issue.
“That is an internal issue that is still under investigation and I cannot comment on that issue as for now. It is under investigation at this point of time” Eche said.
South Sudan after gaining trust from the East African bloc was officially invited to join the East African Parliament in a bid to address matters concerning the bloc.
The invitation made South Sudan parliament to conduct a comprehensive exercise of conducting political party voting scheme for sending representatives of the parliament to the East African Assembly to represent the country in the EAC legislative organ.