The Western Equatoria State Transitional Legislative Assembly is once again under the spotlight after only 54 out of 100 lawmakers turned up for Monday’s sitting.
This is after a repeated warnings from Speaker Simon Peter Bandukuwe about rampant absenteeism.
According to the official record for the 12th sitting on August 25, 2025. 54 members present, 2 on official duty, and 7 on medical leave, 1 with formal permission, 6 not yet sworn in, 2 deceased, and 28 absent without explanation.
“This is the second time we convene while still uncertain about the state of our security… but let me proceed directly to the attendance,” Speaker Bandukuwe told the House.
On 29 July 2025, the Assembly faced public criticism after 38 lawmakers skipped the sitting without notice.
At the time, only 62 members signed the register, and this week’s attendance shows a slight drop in overall turnout (62 → 54) but also a small reduction in unexplained absences (38 → 28).
Analysts say while fewer lawmakers are absent without reason, the decline in overall attendance still reflects a “credibility crisis” for the Assembly.
Monday’s sitting was meant to address one of the state’s most pressing issues: the controversial exam fee hike for 2025, which lawmakers had summoned the Director-General of Education to explain.
But with nearly a third of MPs missing, citizens fear the Assembly may not be giving such urgent matters the seriousness they deserve.
Civil society groups argue the repeated absenteeism is eroding trust.
“When lawmakers skip sessions, the people’s voices go unheard. Communities in Western Equatoria need solutions, not empty seats,” one activist told Western Equatoria News Today.
Speaker Bandukuwe has promised closer scrutiny of attendance and hinted at tough measures against habitual absentees, including the suspension of allowances.
For now, the numbers tell the story: Western Equatoria’s Assembly still has a long way to go in proving it can deliver for the people it represents.
