SPLM-IO boycotting parliamentary sittings

JUBA – South Sudan’s main armed opposition Sudan People’s Liberation Movement in Opposition (SPLM-IO) led by First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar Teny has been boycotting parliamentary sittings after some reforms supposed to be included in the amended political parties acts were dropped by the ruling SPLM faction.

This is according to a statement issued by minister of water resources and irrigation Manawa Peter Gatkuoth Gual who doubles as the chairperson of SPLM-IO National Committee for Information and Public Relations on Saturday afternoon.

“On 30^th /5/2022, the Transitional National Legislative Assembly (TNLA) in its Ordinary Sitting Number 09/2022, passed the Political Parties Act 2012 (Amendment) Bill 2022 dropping some reforms introduced as per the Agreement,” Gatkuoth said in the statement extended to Sudans Post.

“Since May 31^st, 2022, the members of SPLM-IO Parliamentary Caucus and those from other parties to the Agreement have been boycotting Parliamentary Sittings in protest,” the statement added.

It said a meeting of the SPLM Political Bureau discussed the matter and found that the act has been compromised and will work to bring the matter to the attention of President Salva Kiir Mayardit and also the peace monitors.

“The Political Bureau met and discussed the boycott and noted with concern that the Bills coming from the National Constitutional Amendment Committee (NCAC), including the Permanent Constitution Making Process Bill, 2022 have been tempered with, contrary to the Agreement,” the statement said.

It said that it will write “To bring the matter to the attention of the President of the Republic; the Reconstituted Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (R-JMEC), IGAD Guarantors and the International Community.”