Lakes state assembly speaker sworn-in amid MPs’ boycott

June 23, 2015 (Rumbek) – The newly appointed speaker of South Sudan’s Lakes state, Dhieu Takpiny has officially been sworn in, despite lawmakers boycotting the session.

The MPs claimed procedures used to appoint Takpiny into office were “unconstitutional”.

Lakes state’s caretaker governor, Matur Dhuol sacked speaker Baipath Majuec Rilpuou and replaced him with Takping, his former minister for information and communication.

The governor asked lawmakers to elect Takpiny, a request that was strongly criticised.

In his first public statement after he took oath of office, the new speaker vowed to reunite assembly members and work for the good of the people of Lakes state as a whole.

‘My administration will promote good governance and accountability,” assured Takpiny.

“As a government, we need one another, our function is to deliver services to our people. I will make sure that I unite MPs for common interests of Lakes state,” he added.

(ST)