Edmund Yakani said such an investigation must be done in a transparent manner.
According to the military, a fire erupted at an ammunition depot at Juba’s Giyada military barrack early morning of Sunday, injuring at least eight people.
Loud explosions were heard, caused fear and panic among residents in the city.
“The SSPDF [South Sudan Peoples Defense Force] weapons stock blowing up due to the fire in the military barracks at Giyada in Juba is unfortunate, but it requires [an] independent investigation into the cause of the fire,” said Yakani.
He said the incident shows poor handling of weapons and ammunition stockpiles.
“SSPDF should have learned from past mistakes of poor management of stockpiles of weapons and ammunition by the Sudan Army Forces,” noted Yakani.
The activist urged the parliamentary committee on defense and security to ensure an effective weapons and ammunition’s stockpile management system.
He said proper storage mechanisms for weapons and ammunition is one of the benchmarks for lifting the United Nations arms embargo imposed on South Sudan.
Last year, the United Nations Security Council adopted a resolution to renew for a year, till May 31, 2024, arms embargo measures against South Sudan as well as targeted travel ban and asset freeze sanctions against individuals and entities.
