Southern parliament on recess after passing local government bill

By Isaac Vuni

April 10, 2009 (JUBA) – The parliament of the Juba-based Government of Southern Sudan is on a 51-day recess after wrapping up some legislative business.

Legislators have left Juba, some planning to prepare for elections and sensitize their constituents about the Constituency Development Fund (CDF).

Speaker James Wani Igga on Thursday appealed to the assembly members to bolster full enforcement of enacted laws especially when on the 51 days recess. He also urged lawmakers who are going to sensitize their voters on the CDF newly released by GOSS to also prepare the ground for the coming general election campaign and wish them re-elected in the coming general scheduled for February 2010.

During the afternoon sitting last Thursday attended by 89 lawmakers, the August House passed the Local Government Act 2009 with its fifteen chapters plus appendices. The deputy chairman of the legal affairs committee presented it for final reading and the speaker said it is an historic achievement.

The act indicated that a commissioner has to be democratically elected by the people of the county, as Sudan is transforming from toward democracy. But the marathon heated debate over this stipulation was ended with 85 voting for the measure and six wanting to allow appointments of ministers, and five undecided.

Minister of Legal Affairs Michael Makuei Lueth in the morning session noted that the GOSS Assembly has enacted 31 important laws to provide a conducive environment for development in southern Sudan.

Emphasizing that those laws are geared towards promotion of rule of law and development in southern Sudan, he also noted that until new laws are enacted, the interim constitution allows GOSS to apply laws of previous government, including the New Sudan laws and other applicable laws.

He further said among the vital laws are protection of human rights, child rights, anti-corruption, investment promotion, private sector development, registration and conduct of business, protection of land rights, operation of the judiciary, court procedures and establishment of key institutions including SPLA affairs security.

The Ministry of Legal affairs and Constitutional Development will undertake to gazette the new legal developments in three categories: individual laws, specialized publications and ceremonial copies for the President of the Government of Soutehrn Sudan, the Speaker of Assembly and President of the Supreme Court of southern Sudan.

”If we are to achieve objectives of the long struggle, southerners must focus on legal framework, establish relevant institutions, set minimum standards in all spheres of service delivery to improve welfare and wellbeing of people and promote private sector development,” cautioned Minister Lueth.

Minister Lueth congratulated the council of ministers for reviewing and approving draft bills while also lauding the August House for strenuous deliberation and passing them into an act for presidential enactment to laws.

He also reminded southerners that ignorance of the law is no defense before court, hence he urges stakeholders to put into action enacted laws and promised to publish the remaining eight laws in the government gazette by the end of this month.

The ministry was planning a website to enable stakeholders and parliament to monitor enacted new laws.

Lueth further assured southerners that his ministry will in the future liaise with the National Ministry of Justice to ensure that laws of national application are available in Southern Sudan.

(ST)