Formation of parliamentary committees to wait for longer

The Reconstituted Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (RJMEC) has expressed concerns over the delay in enacting critical bills needed for the implementation of the revitalised peace agreement.

The RJMEC stated this in its 20th meeting’s recommendation held last week in Juba. The meeting drew together parties to the R-ARCSS, other South Sudanese stakeholders and adherents, regional guarantors, international partners and friends of South Sudan, the agreement institutions and mechanisms, and observers.

In the recommendation, the body regretted the failure of the Reconstituted Transitional National Legislative Assembly (R-TNLA) to move fast and establish specialised committees to oversee the respective businesses of the August House.

“Further, it [RJMEC] urged the reconstituted TNLA to fast-track its handling and enactment of all the bills and welcomed the reported assurance from the TNLA that it will not take a prolonged recess as was the practice in its calendar,” partly read the recommendation.

Early this month, the chairperson designate of the information committee of the R-TNLA, Paul Yoane Bonju, said the specialised committees would be formed at the end of the year.

Delay in process

According to Yoane, the lack of a chamber for the parliament to conduct business contributed to the delay. He mentioned the recently held weeklong governor’s forum at Freedom Hall as a major hindrance.

“Had it not been for the governor’s forum, we should have started with the constitutional amendment bills numbers 8 and 9, which is one of the prerequisites of the agreement,” said Yoane.

On the enacting of the bills, Yoane said, “It is a matter of us having the committees and everything will go as normal.” We have waited for months and years. What is 21 or 29 days? Although it looks discouraging, let me say, “Within three weeks, we will have everything in place.”

He stated that as soon as the committees are formed, Parliament will begin reviewing the bills passed by the Council of Ministers, with security laws receiving priority.

These include the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) act, the national correctional service act, the wildlife act, the national security service act, and the South Sudan National Police Service Act that have been amended by the Constitution Amendment Committee.

The lack of specialised committees has impacted the presentation, reading, and enacting of the country’s fiscal budget to allow the allocation of funds, especially for financing the peace implementation process.

In his address during the first joint session of Parliament in August, President Kiir hoped the reconstitution of the parliament would relieve pressure off the backs of South Sudanese and the partners tasked with monitoring the implementation of the agreement, which is behind schedule.

“Since February 2020, your counterparts in the executive branch have been working. Most of the files they have worked on require your review and approval before they can move forward, “Kiir told the MPs.

South Sudan has the largest parliament ever on the continent, composed of 650 members from the Upper and Lower Chambers drawn from the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement in Government (SPLM-IG), Sudan People’s Liberation Movement in Opposition (SPLM-IO), and the South Sudan Opposition Alliance (SSOA). Other parties include Other Opposition Parties (OPP) and Former Detainees (FD).