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JUBA - 14 May 2021

CEPO: Parties violated 35% affirmative action in appointing national legislators

CEPO Executive Director Edmund Yakani
CEPO Executive Director Edmund Yakani

Edmund Yakani, the Executive Director of the Community Empowerment for Progress Organisation CEPO has faulted parties to the 2018 revitalized agreement saying they all violated the 35% provision for women representation in the newly reconstituted legislature. 

On Monday this week, President Salva Kiir Mayardit reconstituted the transitional national legislature to include 550 members of the various parties to the peace pact. These include 332 members from the former transitional government, 128 from SPLM-IO, 50 from SSOA, 30 from the Other Political Parties, OPP, and 10 members of the Former Detainees.

However, Yakani said the parties only appointed 159 women in contravention to the peace deal, requiring a 35% quota for women translating to about 192 women legislators to the national assembly.

"The incumbent government out of expected 116 women parliamentarians under 35% for women quota, only 102 women parliamentarians were appointed, SPLM-IO out of expected 44 or 45 women parliamentarians under 35% for women quota, only 37 women parliamentarians were appointed," he said. "SSOA out of expected 17 or 18 women parliamentarians under 35% for women quota, only 13 women parliamentarians were appointed while OPP out of expected 10 women parliamentarians under 35% for women quota, only six women parliamentarians were appointed."

He further noted that the Former Detainees appointed only two women instead of the three expected of them.

"Community Empowerment for Progress Organization is deeply disappointed, disturbed, and strongly condemned the violation of the 35% for women by all the parties during their appointments of national legislative assembly members," he said.

Yakani added, "the continued violation of the 35% for women quota by the political parties signatories to R-ARCSS is demonstrating political attitudes rigidity for reform. This means the expected policy and institutional reforms enshrined in the various provisions of the R-ARCSS will be likely be violated similarly."

The activist called on the parties to appoint a woman speaker of the national assembly and honor the 35% affirmative action in the reconstitution of states and administrative areas legislative assemblies and the establishment of independent national commissions.

The Council of States which was dissolved with the national assembly is yet to be reconstituted.

Western envoys and observers have commended the government for the reconstitution of the national assembly, urging them to respect the 35 percent provision for women.