Members of parliament in South Sudan’s Aweil state on Wednesday passed a vote to reinstate former parliamentarians who had been detained, released and replaced by new parliamentarians.

The three, Deng Ayom Ayom, Aweil state legislative speaker, Santino Mayuat Ngong, chairperson for agriculture committee and Anguet Anei Ajuong, chairperson for information committee were arrested in April over suspected links with the former army chief of staff turned rebel leader Paul Malong Awan.

Kon Deng, the chairperson of the legal affairs committee in the assembly told Radio Tamazuj on Thursday that the move to reinstate the three was arrived at after the assembly received orders from the state governor and President Salva Kiir to reinstate the lawmakers to their former positions.

Deng Ayom Ayom, the speaker said their reinstatement sends a message of peace across Aweil State. He appreciated the president for releasing them and ordering their reinstatement.

The chairperson of the assembly’s social development committee Monica Mawein Kuol, welcomed the parliamentarians return and called for collaboration with fellow lawmakers.