South Sudan president appoints three lawmakers

January 19, 2017 (JUBA) – South Sudan President Salva Kiir has issued an order appointing three officials into the national legislative assembly.

The presidential order read on the stated own South Sudan broadcasting Corporation, named Malong Lual Diing , son of the prominent SPLM official and a former presidential advisor on political affairs, Lual Diing Wol. The second is Mathiang Bellario Ahoy, another son of a veteran politician Bellario Ahoy Ngong, both of whom died in 2015 and 2016. They were serving members of parliament at the national legislative assembly when they passed away.

A third nominee into transitional legislative assembly is Oliver Majok Aleu. He replaced Garang Diing Akuong, whom President Salva Kiir appointed two ago years into foreign services and dispatched him to the United States where he is presently serving as the head of mission.

The basis of the appointment remains contentious. Presidential sources cite article 64 (1) (b) of the transitional legislative assembly which gives the president powers to appoint upon receiving notification from the speaker of the legislative assembly after the seat has fallen vacant.

Critics, however, argue that the speaker had to write first to the national elections commission to organize elections and only to the president when it is not possible to organize elections, particularly when it is remaining only three months period into the general elections.

“The Speaker of the appropriate House shall, in writing, notify the National elections commission Notwithstanding sub-Articles (1) and (2) above, if a vacancy occurs in respect of any seat in the National Legislative Assembly or the Council of States before the expiry of one year from the beginning of the Transitional Period: (a) the Speaker of the appropriate House shall, in writing, notify the President within ten days from the occurrence of that vacancy; (b) the President shall appoint the successor to the seat within sixty days.

Following the occurrence of the vacancy after consultation with the relevant constituencies, political parties and state legislatures concerned, as the case may be national Elections Commission within ten days from the occurrence of that vacancy”. A by-election to fill the vacancy shall be held by the National Elections Commission within sixty days following occurrence of the vacancy, a presidential source told Sudan Tribune on Thursday.

(ST)