Eight members of Other Political Parties (OPP), including the state assembly speaker, have been sworn in as members of parliament in Rumbek town of Lakes State.
OPP has been without representatives at the state legislative assembly over alleged internal disagreement since the reconstitution of the parliament by President Salva Kiir in November last year.
The lawmakers included Agum Jacob Chagai, the new state speaker.
The swearing-in ceremony on Wednesday was presided over by the President of the State High Court Justice Michael Atem Chol in presence of Governor Rin Tueny Mabor.
Speaking after the event, Rin Tueny Mabor urged all lawmakers in the area to cooperate and work together in line with the spirit of the revitalized agreement for the interest of the people.
“Our slogan is Lakes State first and I will not work with you as political parties because there is no one who is not from Lakes State,” he said.
“The implementation of R-ARCISS is a process and you know all these times we were not having a speaker and other OPP members presence in Lakes State assembly,” he added.
For her part, the new speaker, Agum Jacob Chagai called on her colleagues and members of the executive to prioritize service delivery as mandated by the agreement.
“What our community needs is social services delivery, development, security and peace, health and agriculture and we shall work together to deliver these services to them,” she said.
The Deputy Speaker of Lakes State legislative assembly, Ayen Meen Ador also echoed the same call.
“We have this task to be here today and to join hands to cooperate and work together for the welfare of the entire people of Lakes State,” she said.
“We hope that we will work together hand in hand with the three pillars, legislature, executive and judiciary, “she added.
According to the peace deal, the former government shall have 55 percent at the state and local government levels, and SPLM-IO shall have 27 percent representation.
The South Sudan Opposition Alliance (SSOA) shall have 10 percent while the Other Political Parties (OPP) shall have 8 percent.