By Bida Elly David
Members of National legislative Assembly are warming to grill Minister of Information, Michael Makuei Lueth over mockery.
Lawmakers at the Transitional National Legislative Assembly claimed that the government mouthpiece mocked them during a press conference held last week.
The furious lawmakers on Monday, resolved to summon Makuei after one legislator raised a point of information accusing the minister of uttering derogatory statements against the MPs.
Juma Zacharia Deng, an MP representing Jur River in Western Bahr-El-Ghazal State, who raised the point said Makuei described them as not liable representatives of the citizens.
“On Friday, the minister of information was having a press conference. He was talking about the fact that the parliament is not a representative of the people,” said Juma.
The legislator said Minister Makuei, as the spokesperson of the government, has failed to perform his duties rightfully as part of the executive by misinforming the public.
“The minister of information, Michael Makuei Lueth, is still misleading the public with the wrong information. What he says to the public is always what he believes,” Juma claimed.
He accused the information minister of always uttering information generated from his mind but not resolutions from the cabinet.
“As a spokesperson for the government, he is supposed to communicate what the government has agreed to in the Council of Ministers. He must tell us whether what he always says is agreed upon by the government or his own view,” Juma echoed.
Meanwhile, Jemma Nunu Kumba, the speaker of the assembly, tried to interrupt the point of information, saying that there was no fact about the accusation.
But the furious lawmakers in the August House warned the speaker against standing with a ‘betrayer’.
“First of all, the minister of information, Michael Makuei, is not here to respond to or answer the allegation,” said Nunu.
Although Hon. Juma Zacharia couldn’t immediately present facts about his allegation, the House majority stood by his side.
But Nyanachiek Nyial Majeed, another lawmaker, cautioned her colleagues’ MPs against accusing a national figure with no clear evidence, but she was immediately suddenly silenced by the majority voices.
John Agany, the spokesperson of the parliament, also warned Hon. Nyanchiek for using abusive language against the lawmakers in support of Minister Makuei.
“We cannot go on uttering words that are not responsible. This question was a very important one. Makuei clearly went on the media and disqualified and illegitimate the assembly,” echoed Agany.
He slammed the lawmaker, Nyanachiek, for using abusive words in the August House as well as supporting a person who does not value the parliament.
Agany moved a quick motion for the summons of Minister Michael Makuei to explain the failures of the lawmakers as he claimed.
“This is a motion without notice, so Makuei comes and explains here. He has to come and explain; we are representing people, and he himself is representing his own people in this assembly,” Agany suggested.
After members’ reactions to the motion supported by the majority, House Speaker Nunu Kumba welcomed the motion rule for the summons of the minister.
However, there was no clear date set for Minister Makuei to appear on the floor of parliament to answer the MPs’ queries and clear the allegation leveled against him.