Trump envoy to Juba urges immediate reconstitution of parliament

June 22, 2020 News, Newsbeat, South Sudan

South Sudan opening its Transitional Legislative National Assembly in 2019(Photo credit: unknown)

June 22, 2020 (SSNN) – The United States Ambassador to South Sudan, Thomas Hushek, has urged for the immediate reconstitution of the South Sudan parliament

The call by the outgoing US envoy comes a few days after President Salva Kiir Mayardit and SPLM-IO leader Dr. Riek Machar Teny agreed to end the states deadlock which has been ongoing for a number of months.

“We are concerned about the slow pace in the peace process; we recognize the important step that happened earlier this year from the pre-transitional period to transition and the establishment of the new government. But then some very important things got stalled,” Hushek said.

“Allocation of the governorship has been waiting for very long. I would also add the need to reconstitute the parliament, that’s a very important branch of government that needs to be reconstituted.”

According to the revitalized peace agreement, the parliament is to be reconstituted with the number of MPs jumping from 400 to 550. Kiir’s side will have 332 members, SPLM-IO will give 128 members, South Sudan Opposition Alliance (SSOA) will have 50, OPP, 30 and FDs will have 10.