Lakes speaker rejects governor demand for apology
September 16, 2008 (RUMBEK) — Lakes state lawmakers have rejected a demand for apology addressed by the governor Daniel Awet Akot. The governor said the state assembly has no authority to summon him.
After an attack by the SPLA soldiers against the deputy speaker of the Lakes State Legislative Assembly, the lawmaker voted a resolution asking the governor to appear before the parliament on Thursday September 11 to brief the members on the disarmament process.
Governor Akot in response to the assembly request, asked for apology saying terming their move as unconstitutional.
But the Speaker of the legislative body, Isaiah Alier Machinkon, denied to Radio Miraya the accusation saying they asked him to brief the assembly on the incidents that accompanied the disarmament operations in the state.
He further said that the assembly would not apologize because it was performing its duties to control the action of the executive.
Seven civilians were admitted to Rumbek Hospital on Monday September 8 with severe or fatal injuries after a shooting by SPLA soldiers in the market. The forces had been ordered to enter houses and search them for weapons.
In a statement issued last week, the speaker underlined that “the honorable members are not disobeying the Government of South Sudan presidential decree that orders disarmament to be carried out in all Southern Sudan, but we as lawmakers are seeking” to resolve “problems intensifying against Rumbek civilians.”
Relations between the governor and the assembly are tense since last year when the legislators impeached finance minister and the governor sought the support of Southern Sudan president Salva Kiir to maintain him despite the MPs vote.
(ST)
Mr Famous Big_Logic_Boy
Lakes speaker rejects governor demand for apology
A blind would agree on this apology but a wise man has done as great reply as the lawmaker has done.Why?,just because of your imature orders of ordering the SPLA/M troops to do such incidence.
martin simon wani
Lakes speaker rejects governor demand for apology
I think the conflicts between the legislative, the executive and judiciary organs in most of our ten Southern States are being casue by the fact that most of our political leaders don’t seems to have time to read the CPA, interim GOSS constitution and even their states constititions. If they really want to avoid these unnecessary rangling and misunderstanding, they must take time to know the limits of their constitutional powers so that the emotional decisions can be replaced with rational and official decisions.