The Spokesperson of the Transitional National Legislative Assembly (TNLA) John Agany Deng has come out to defend Speaker Jemma Nunu Kumba amid looming impeachment by some MPs.
MPs from the largest opposition party Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-in opposition (SPLM-IO), are believed to be behind the motion to impeach the Speaker on the pretext that she is abusing public funds on her endless trips outside the country.
“If they have substantial material, let them put in writing and present it in the house as a motion, and then it will be handled,” Agany told journalists after a parliamentary sitting in Juba on Wednesday.
Agany said the SPLM which has majority seats in the assembly can’t approve the impeachment.
“In this house, the members representing SPLM are 303, and Nunu Kumba is a member of this group. The nonsense of that type can never be executed without us the members of the SPLM to approve it,” he said.
Juol Nhomngek Daniel, a lawmaker representing Cueibet County of Lakes State under SPLM-IO confirmed that they are drafting a motion to impeach the Speaker.
“Yes, there was a move but it has not yet been finalized because some people leaked out the information,” Nhomngek said.
He said they are looking for more signatures to impeach the Speaker.
“The necessary signatures needed are about 350. It will happen although the time will not be specific because these are issues of politics,” added Nhomngek.
However, Agany said the law will never forgive the MPs who are threatening to impeach the Speaker who is performing her duties well.
“By the way the law will never forgive them because they as human beings have no right to tarnish and defame somebody innocently without any substantial evidence,” Agany said.
“I believe these MPs who are beating a drum are uninformed and they don’t even know their duties. Why do you complain about something you don’t even know? The speaker can’t use money randomly without regulatory financial mechanisms,” he added.
He said the speaker doesn’t spend money of the MPs for international trips.
The TNLA has a total of 550 MPs.
The conduct of business regulation of the TNLA requires two- thirds of the majority MPs to impeach the Speaker, which seems insurmountable due to the numerical supremacy of the SPLM in the house.
