A South Sudanese civil society activist has petitioned the Transitional National Legislative Assembly (TNLA) over the delay in the Fiscal Year 2024/25 budget, terming it a contravention of the constitution.
The Executive Director the Center for Peace and Advocacy (CPA), Ter Manyang Gatwech, told Radio Tamazuj on Wednesday that TNLA needs to summon the ministers for Cabinet Affairs and Finance to explain the delay.
“This humble petition of the Center for Peace and Advocacy brings to the attention of the TNLA, which is the lawmaking representative of the people and oversight body over the Executive, to ensure that the violation of both national and East African Community laws is rectified as soon as possible,” Gatwech said
He explained that Article 87 (1) of the Transitional Constitution imposes duty on the President to cause the Fiscal Year Budget of 2024-2025 in form of the bill for the allocation of resources and revenue in accordance with the provisions of the Transitional Constitution, to approve the Bill in modification or reject it in totality between the first week of May and June 30 each year.
The activist noted that Article 88 (7) provides that the budget shall become law, whether the President signs it or not within the 45 days after it was tabled as provided for under Regulation 119 (2) of the TNLA Conduct of Business Regulations, 2011.
He said the period of discussing the budget and its approval is 45 from the first week of May to June 30 each year and the new financial year begins from July 1 and ends on June 30 the other year in accordance with the East African Community protocol.
South Sudan, as a member of the East African Community, has the duty to present its national budget at the same time with the other six partner states that have already presented theirs, he said.
The spokesperson of the Transitional National Legislative Assembly could not immediately be reached for comment.
South Sudan is governed by a transitional government created after a 2018 peace agreement between President Salva Kiir, opposition leader Riek Machar and other political figures.