By Bosco Bush
A lawmaker representing Cueibet County in Lakes State, MP Juol Nhomngek, is calling for reforms in parliament to enhance its capacity for checks and balances.
This appeal was made just a day after members of parliament began a four-month recess.
MP Nhomngek has been a strong advocate for an overhaul of the National Legislative Assembly (TNLA), asserting that significant reforms are necessary.
He believes that achieving this will require a shake-up in leadership and a push for the independence of the institution.
He argues this is essential for promoting transparency and enabling the parliament to hold the executive accountable.
“It will be possible if members will manage to shake up the leadership, because in everything leadership matters.
Even if the parliament is not independent, the leadership is supposed to act transparently so that the members will have confidence in the leadership and unite to face who is the problem,” said Juol Nhomngek.
“The inaction of Parliament to confront the executive and hold them to account has made Parliament a mere clearance house of the mess of the country,” he added.
The lawmaker underscores that the public has lost trust in the credibility of Parliament as the institution representing the citizens because of its incapability to protect the interest of its members let alone citizens and the country at large.
“Parliament is not capable of protecting the interest of its own members let alone citizens and the country as a whole,” adding, “Parliament is also behaving like an executive institution while pretending that it is overseeing the executive.”
Nhomngek claims that the whole thing is a set-up and a fraud on the general public—making the national assembly a centre where activities are conducted in an obscure manner, which gives birth to a lot of speculation and gossip.
The laws governing Parliament clearly state that Parliament must be managed in a transparent and accountable manner.
On Wednesday, Speaker of the Transitional National Legislative Assembly, Rt. Hon. Jemma Nunu Kumba has sent lawmakers off for a four-month recess.
Since the second session began in April 2024, legislators have not taken a break, focusing on key bills related to the peace agreement, as requested by President Salva Kiir.
Having completed all essential legislation before the year’s end, Speaker Nunu consulted with President Kiir, who approved the recess.
Nunu, however, noted that all legislators would go for recess empty pocket due to economic challenges.
“Hon. Members of the House, I am aware that there are concerns about the recess funds that were supposed to be given to Members of Parliament for the first recess and the second recess and also this recess,” the Speaker said.
“This is a requirement by law, but due to the difficult economic situation we have, these funds were not provided for the Members of the House,”
She underscored that her docket had submitted all the request letters for recess monies, medical funds and accumulated salary arrears to the ministry of finance awaiting action.