South Sudan sends seven MPs to the East African Parliament

March 11, 2017 (JUBA) – South Sudanese President Salva Kiir appointed
seven lawmakers to the East African Legislative Assembly in a decree that was read
on state-owned TV.

Five of the MPs are members of the South Sudan SPLM party and will represent the country in Arusha, the seat of the EAC. SPLM In Opposition (IO) and the United Salvation Front (USAF) will appoint the other members.

The MPs that have been appointed so far are Gabrial Alaak Garang, Ann Itto Leonardo, Gai Deng Nhial, Joseph Okello, Thomas Duoth and Gideon Gatban Thoan.

South Sudan formally joined the East African Community (EAC), a regional intergovernmental organisation of whose membership includes Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi, last year as the sixth member.

The EAC was established in 1999 on November 30 and entered into force in July 2000 after the agreement was signed by Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, the original three partner states. South Sudan acceded to the Treaty in April of 2016 and became a full member in August 2016.

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