South Sudanese civil society have criticized indefinite postponement of reopening of the Transitional National Legislative Assembly (TNLA).
The activists urged South Sudan government to urgently fix another date for the reopening of the Assembly or explain publicly the meaning of indefinite postponement of the house of the people that has been close for long.
The Society concern followed the government announcement on Thursday that the scheduled date, Monday 9 June for reopening of the Assembly was chang not holding water.
Oliver Mori the Spokesperson of the parliament declared the indefinite postponement and urged the public to remain patient adding that the new date will be set.
However, reasons for the postponement of the Assembly were not clearly state.
The Transitional National Legislative Assembly (TNLA) Declared recess for the members of parliament (MPs) in December 2024.
The MPs were supposed to resume their business in April there have been series of delay till now.
In respond to the indefinite postponement of the reopening of the Assembly, Activist Tery Manyang the Executive Director for the Center for Peace and Advocacy (CPA) called on the government to fix the new date and urgently reopen the parliament.
“We urge the Transitional Government of National Unity to immediately clarify the reasons behind this indefinite postponement and to set a new date for Parliament to resume its critical functions,” Manyang said.
He expressed that delay in reopening of the National Assembly can lead lost of public trust in the agreement.
“Delays in legislative activities not only stall key reforms but also erode public trust in the peace process.” He said.
“This delay, announced without a clear explanation or rescheduled date, poses a serious threat to the fragile peace process and undermines ongoing efforts to strengthen democratic governance and uphold the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan (R-ARCSS)” he explained
Youal Gatkuoth the Executive Director for Pan-African Peacemakers Alliance (PAPA) reiterated that parliament remain a pillar to discuss issues and getting solution or forward.
“The Parliament is a pillar of national dialogue and democratic transition,” Gatkuoth said.
“Its continued absence will only deepen the political vacuum, marginalize voices of ordinary South Sudanese, and risk further instability.” Gatkuoth added.
CPA and PAPA are particularly concerned about the impact of this development on pending legislative priorities, including the enactment of electoral laws, the national budget, security arrangements, and accountability mechanisms crucial to the ongoing peace implementation.
The two organizations call on all stakeholders, including regional bodies such as IGAD and the African Union, to engage the South Sudanese leadership to ensure that parliamentary functions are restored without delay and that the people’s representatives are empowered to deliver on the commitments made under the peace agreement.
CPA and PAPA reaffirm their commitment to supporting peace, justice, and inclusive governance in South Sudan and across the continent. We stand with the citizens of South Sudan in their quest for a peaceful, democratic, and prosperous future.
Recently as the Transitional National Legislative Assembly (TNLA) prepares to reconvene, the South Sudan Land Alliance (SSuLA), a coalition of civil society organizations and land rights advocates, called on the House to prioritize the passage of the National Land Policy, stressing that continued delays are detrimental.
The policy, which was approved by the Council of Ministers on 27 October 2023 and tabled before the TNLA on 21 November 2024, has been in development for nearly two decades.
