Renovation of parliamentary building to be completed in 3 months – Kumba

JUBA – The massive ongoing renovation of the parliament building is expected to take at least three months to complete, said Jemma Nunu Kumba, the Speaker of the National Legislative Assembly.

The rehabilitation work began in 2019, but stalled over contractual disagreements.

The contractor abandoned the project after the admiration of then speaker Anthony Lino reportedly failed to pay the construction company.

Speaking during a parliamentary sitting in Juba Tuesday, Nunu said the building which has been under renovation for four years is nearly completed.

“Most of the things are taking shape and we also hope that maybe in the next three months or so, we would be able to have our own building here,” Nunu said.

Nunu assured the lawmakers that very soon they will start conducting their meetings and the oversight role within the premises once the renovation is completed.

“As you have already seen the work is picked and it is moving well so at least the TNLA can have a permanent place where we can be sitting in times of convenient,” she said.

South Sudanese’s first female speaker said that the building is large enough to accommodate the current 550 lawmakers.

“Of course, we have done a few things and there are those we didn’t do but the leadership of TNLA will try its best to make sure that from the second year we will have a smooth running of this house,” she said.

She revealed her plans to construct a new hall in a parliamentary facility where the members would conduct their meetings without interruption.

“We are also planning something to have a hall near our premises there where we will be having our meetings without any interruption.”