By Staff Writer
The new parliament of South Sudan has finally been fully reconstituted as the Transitional National Legislative Assembly with the swearing in of members in the capital Juba.
The speaker of the 550 members’ parliament will be a woman, the first ever in the ten year old country.
The MPs alongside the Council of States took oath on Monday.
They will be tasked with formulating laws and policies to adapt with the peace agreement being implemented.
The speaker, Jemma Nunu Kumba pledged to unite the house in executing tasks before it.
“No one should hesitate to approach my office should you have any burning point which is useful for nurturing peace in our beloved country, or make the parliament do its work more efficiently,” Kumba told MPs shortly after the swearing in.
“This is a big privilege for each and every one of us to be able to serve the people of South Sudan at this level,” she said.
“South Sudanese are putting their hopes in us and it is therefore up to us by committing ourselves to the peace agreement to go on and bring our people out of misery.”
The speaker of the Council of States, Deng Deng Akon called upon all the legislators to cooperate among themselves with focus on ensuring the peace agreement is fully implemented.
“With the national parliament and council of states, the government is said to be completed,” Akon said.
“Parliament and Council of States are integral parts of a functioning government and play an oversight role in running the government.”
Akon said that peace agreement is the only hope for the people and a speedy implementation of the peace agreement will restore international trust on South Sudan.
“This is a historical moment for our country because our people have suffered for long and it is our responsibility to get the trust bestowed upon us by the peace agreement and we should speedily work to gain trust for our people,” he said.
“Our country is still at a cross road and our people are suffering from poverty, diseases, and rampant insecurities across the country, and these challenges, we can overcome if we trust each other and work with good faith.”
In May President Salva Kiir Mayardit moved to reconstitute the national parliament, a year after institution of the unity government.
