The members of the Reconstituted Transitional National Legislative Assembly are warming for the swearing-in which may come earlier or be held on the independence celebration day, July 9.

Last week, government officers revealed that plans were on course to swear in the 550 members of parliament who were nominated by President Salva Kiir in May 2020.

The SPLM-IG acting Secretary-General for administration and finance, Peter Lam Both told Radio Miraya that parties had resolved internal issues that were clamping on the oathing process save for Other Political Parties (OPP) that had a few hitches.

Mr Both said even though there were scanty details about the date of the exercise, all indications were that the nominees would be inaugurated even before July 9.

‘‘I know that decisions will come out before the ninth but I don’t know whether the swearing-in will be on the ninth. Yesterday the leadership did not confirm to us that ninth is the day that they will be sworn in so I am really sure that it might come before the ninth,’’ he said. 

Three days before that, on June 30, Presidential Press Secretary Ateny Wek Ateny had been quoted by Eye Radio saying that plans were at an advanced stage to induct the legislators and the members of the council of states, possibly on the eve of independence celebration.

“There is a committee that is working to ensure complete formation of the parliament at the state level. I think it will be completed within this few days and the committee may set July 9th as the day for swearing-in,” he said.

Preparation for celebrations

Both said the office of the president was working together with RTGoNU to prepare for the celebration of the independence slated for Friday.  He called on the South Sudanese people to seize the moment and reflect on the path to independence as they champion ways forward for development.

The SPLM-IG official exuded confidence that despite the intermittent conflicts still being in certain states, South Sudan has made tremendous steps and at the moment many people can access crucial social services such as healthcare and education.

“We call upon those who have not signed the agreement to come on board so that we are able to work together as people of South Sudan to reconcile and move forward,’’ Both urged.

He reminisced about the country’s experience with civil war but heaped confidence in SPLM saying the party has all it takes to lead the people of South Sudan. According to Both, the country got independence but a lot of time was lost in the power struggle that plunged the youngest nation into cyclic bouts of civil war. This he said could be solved at the ballot.

RJMEC calls

The Maj. Gen. Charles Tai Gituai, the RJMEC Interim Chairperson called on the government to swear in the lawmakers saying the Revitalised Transitional National Legislature Assembly (RTNLA) is vital for the peace process in the country.

“The peace process is in a vital need of the RTNLA to get down working and passing the many pending legislation that supports the implementation of the R-ARCSS,” said the interim RJMEC Chairperson.

The RJMEC boss was speaking during the launch of the consultative process to establish the truth, reconciliation and healing commission in Juba.

Gen. Gituai also lauded the inauguration of the Technical Committee for the National Consultative Process on the Establishment of the Commission on Truth, Reconciliation and Healing as a major milestone.

But he insisted that the committee will not only work if the legislation will be an outcome of this process.

The Interim Chair urged the technical committee to work diligently in ensuring that the public voices and views especially those of the most vulnerable and conflict-affected communities are captured in their reports.

He also called on the regional guarantors and the international partners to render vital support to the Technical Committee.

In a response to the RJMEC call, the First Vice President Dr Riek Machar Teny agreed that parliament was really needed for the implementation of most of the revitalised peace agreement chapters.

He said, “We are trying our best to ensure that the council of States formed or declared, and two houses are sworn in and the parliament starts its work.”

-Additional reporting by Japheth Ogila