NAIROBI, Kenya, Sep 19 — South Sudan’s main opposition party has accused President Salva Kiir’s outfit, SPLM-IG, of undermining renewed efforts to organize national elections following the passage of a controversial amendment to the country’s National Elections Act.
Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-In Opposition (SPLM-IO) staged a walk out from the Transitional National Legislative Assembly (TNLA) on Monday after lawmakers drawn from SPLM-IG and allied parties marshaled support for the passage of a newly introduced amendment.
“The decision by the SPUM IG and Allies is contrary to the provision of the Revitalized Agreement [Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan (R-ARCSS)],” SPLM-IO stated.
The amendment empowers the President-Elect to, after conclusion of parliamentary elections, nominate additional members to the legislature.
SPLM-IO, led by Kiir’s rival Riek Machar, South Sudan’s First Vice President, denounced the change terming it undemocratic, and an attempt to bypass the popular vote.
The party’s Deputy Chairperson Nathaniel Oyet stated who doubles up as TNLA’s First Deputy Speaker accused the House Speaker of bias.
“We are concerned of the unfair procedure and the manner the Rt. Hon. Speaker, Jemma Nunu Kumba conducted the sitting by not maintaining the order and decorum of the house to balance participation in the deliberation by the members of the august House,” he said.
“By denying members of SPLM-ID and other Political parties fair chance to express their views on this critical matter. Moreover, the Rt. Hon speaker decided to proceed without consensus and decided to usher the house into voting despite the lack of consensus on the matter,” Oyet contended.
South Sudan, Africa’s youngest nation, has unsuccessfully attempted to hold its inaugural national elections since July 2015 when a scheduled election was cancelled following a coup attempt.
