Speaker reshuffles South Sudan Parliamentary committees
South Sudan has reshuffled the chairpersons and deputies of National Assembly standing committees in a reconstitution exercise meant to accommodate members who represented the country in Khartoum prior to Juba’s independence.
The 96 members who were representing the country in Khartoum would be incorporated into the new country’s Parliament.
The Speaker of the National Assembly, Mr James Wani Igga, declared 36 positions of chairpersons and deputies vacant on Monday, pending another selection.
About 66 legislators were appointed into the 332-member Parliament by President Salva Kiir to represent civil society, private sector as other political parties also sought representation on Tuesday.
“Actually we must be fair than just, and this is why we went to the bush – the absence of justice and fairness and therefore marginalisation,” Mr Igga said.
“So based on this, and based on just consultation at this moment, we have agreed … the other parties, including SPLMDC which is not in the government, put together will take 8 per cent of the seats. This means they will have three,” he added.
Grumbling
As the rush for seats became so steep in a country that is struggling to forge unity among its diverse ethnic backgrounds, the assembly leadership decided to expand the number of standing specialised committees.
However, the move was thwarted by legislators who argued that creating too many political posts would drain cash that should instead be used for service delivery.
“We wanted to enlarge it so that they fit in. They don’t want enlargement. So it is their choice,” deputy Speaker Daniel Awet Akot said.
“If they grumble, we will say we foresaw it that, add more as the Constitution has said,” Mr Akot added.
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