TNLA reopens after three-month recess

President Salva Kiir inaugurated the resumption of the parliamentary sittings on Monday, three months after the members of parliament went for recess in December 2022.

In his opening address, Kiir told the members of the two houses – national assembly and the council of states – that there are critical agenda in regard to the implementation of the roadmap that await them to tackle.

“I would like to remind all of you honorable members that you have a packed agenda before you in the upcoming parliamentary session,” Kiir told the two houses.

Lections and Banking laws are among the remaining bills, which are yet to be tabled before the peace parliament.

Before the parliamentarians went on recess in December 2022, they had already passed several bills that President Kiir later assented to.

They include the Civil Defense Service (Amendment) Bill, 2022; the Political Parties (Amendment) Bill, 202; the Constitution Making Process Bill, 2022; and the Wildlife Service (Amendment) Bill, 2022.

“You delivered those bills not because of partisan consideration, but because of the collective motivation to transform South Sudan – an objective that you felt was above any partisan interest,” he said.

“As you resumes today, I encourage you to continue with that commendable spirit in this session, we need that spirit now more than ever in order to finish implementing the provisions of the agreement we did not finish through the roadmap.”

For her part, Speaker Jemma Nunu stated that the parliament will continue working on the remaining laws that are yet to be presented to ensure the full implementation of the peace deal.

“As representatives of the people of South Sudan, the hopes, and expectations of our masses rest with us, the MPs,” said Hon Nunu.

“We must, therefore, continue working together, irrespective of our divergent political affiliations, to ensure full implementation of the Revitalized Agreement for the Resolution of Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS).”