Warrap Parliament opens after recess, calling for unity

August 6, 2012 (JUBA) – South Sudan’s State of Warrap on Monday held an official ceremony to resume parliamentary functions after a recess, with calls to strengthen peace and social harmony amongst institutions.

Madot Madut Deng, speaker of the state legislative Assembly said in an interview with Sudan Tribune that members of the house have returned from recess with number of achievements. 

“The members of the house have done a lot things while on recess. They have successfully enlightened our people of the need to cultivate. This was one of the important missions and messages the government wanted to be conveyed in a simplified and friendly to our people. The member were also engaged in their constituencies to promote understanding and social harmony amongst people,” Deng told Sudan Tribune from Kuacjok, the state capital.

Deng said he called on members of the house to work together with members of the executive and other organs of the state government in order for them to deliver services to the people.

“I emphasised the need for the house to work together with the executive.  We need the executive to feel that we are one team working together to serve our people.  If this is what the government in wants us to do, we do it together as team.   If there is an issue with the community we  address it together,” said Deng.  

Warrap parliament in 2011 accused the executive of working without policy statement and undermining the role of the house by repeatedly carrying out issues without parliamentary approval. The house attempted to pass a vote of no confidence against the state governor after accusing her of failure to address a food shortage and her inability to run the affairs of the state.   

The house was also accused of not taking accountability and transparency seriously, leading to the passage of a vote of no confidence against the former minister of finance, Majok Bol Kur, who was accused of failure to answer parliamentary questions relating to irregularities in the 2010 budget.

Both Malek and Kur survived parliament vote of no confidence after the intervention of the central government, calling for unity between the two institutions in order to deliver services to electorates as members of one government. 

(ST)