N. Bahr el Ghazal MP foils attempt to dismiss two members
October 11, 2013 (JUBA)- A motion raised by Northern Bahr el Ghazal assembly speaker, Monica Achol William Amoi to dismiss two lawmakers failed after it was opposed by another member.
The speaker claimed Lual, who sought the assembly permission to go on sick leave, had overstayed and should be removed for failing to attend 18 consecutive parliamentary sessions.
The move, however, did not succeed after by a member of the assembly wondered why the speaker’s mother, also a lawmaker, was not dismissed by the assembly for a similar offense three years.
“The house had foiled an attempt by the speaker to remove the two members on parliament yesterday”, said the legislator, speaking on condition of anonymity.
CONFLICT OF INTEREST
The lawmaker, in the interview with Sudan Tribune, also wondered why the speaker’s mum, who never took oath as MP, continues getting sitting allowances, despite not attending sessions.
“This was a double standard, if not hypocrisy,” he stressed.
Members of the assembly, the lawmaker said, also opposed the speaker’s decision to have her predecessor thrown out of the assembly, arguing that the latter, absence from the assembly was justified.
The former speaker was removed from the office in 2012 by an executive order from the state governor, Paul Malong Awan, on allegations he failed to comply with a directive asking him to resign.
Awan, in a 6 June, 2012 letter, claimed his action was necessitated by the need to preserve unity of the governing Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) in the house.
The letter, also obtained by Sudan Tribune, did not cite any particular provision, which gives the governor powers to remove the speaker minus parliamentary rules and regulation, as stipulated in the conduct of business procedures.
Aguer later appealed to higher authorities in the capital, Juba and it took the intervention of the council of states members, who recommended that the ex-speaker be reinstated back to office.
President Salva Kiir, in February this year, directed minister for the presidency to write to Awan asking him to reinstate the former assembly speaker and six other lawmakers dismissed from the assembly, as recommended by the council of states.
But, Awan did not implement the directive as it was addressed to him in his capacity as the SPLM chairperson in the state. He instead took the letter to the assembly and asked MPs to respond to it, claiming he was not involved.
(ST)