South Sudan elects 9 representatives to regional assembly

JUBA – South Sudan Reconstituted Transitional National Legislative Assembly (RTNLA) on Friday elected nine representatives to East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) with ruling Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) taking lion’s share.

The six SPLM incumbents are; Gai Deng Nhial (333), Dr. Anne Itto Leonardo (332), Dr. Woda Jeremiah Odok (326), Kim Gai Rut and Dr.  Gabriel Garang Aher (294) have been elected for a second term.

Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-in Opposition (SPLM-IO) took two slots and they include Luke Thomson Thoan Teny (296) and Sadia James Sebit (300).

Mr. Makulia  Kenndy Aysason (247)and Gideon Gatpan Thoar (209) were elected as an independent candidates.

The nine candidates will serve at Arusha-based assembly for the next five years.

There were 25 candidates that participated in the elections after undergoing 2 hours of campaign.

Jemma Nunu Kumba, Speaker of Transitional National Legislative Assembly congratulated the winning candidates.

“May I also take this opportunity to congratulate the nine successful candidates who have won the trust and confident of the members of this house and to be elected to EALA,” Kumba said during announcement of long-awaited results on Friday night

“I would like to congratulate all of you for this transparent and fair democratic process that you have just concluded”.

Ms. Kumba described the elections was free and fair.

“As an institution of democracy, I think you have done it in very open and transparent manner,” she said.

A total of 444 lawmakers voted for EALA representatives while 157 did not votes.