The Nyuong Community of Panyijiar County in Unity State is demanding representation in the Revitalized Transitional National Legislative Assembly (R-TNLA) after the revocation of the appointment of their representative.
Last week, President Salva Kiir revoked the appointment of 36 representatives to the R-TNLA, the lower chamber of the country’s legislature, a month after their appointment and before an oath-taking ceremony scheduled for July 9.
No reason was given for the abrupt changes.
Speaking to Radio Tamazuj this morning, John Yien, the deputy community leader, said: “As a community, we are unhappy that we are not adequately represented in the legislative assembly. The appointment of our member of parliament (MP) was revoked last week. We do not know the reason. Our complaint now is that after the revocation, those responsible could have gotten back to us so that we could nominate someone else for the seat.”
Yien called on the SPLM party which revoked the appointment of its member to reconsider its decision before 9 July.
“In the entire Unity State, the people of Panyijar are neglected because we are now having only one MP representing us when the rest of the areas in the state have 5 MPs,” he said.
For his part, Simon Gatluak Pechdak, the MP whose appointment was revoked, called on his SPLM party to reallot the portfolio to Panyijiar.
“The SPLM party processed my appointment because I am replacing a deceased MP from my county who was elected in 2010. It is the right of the constituency to bring a replacement within the SPLM ticket. But now we do not know what happened,” Gatluak said.
He urged the SPLM party to reconsider its decision and appoint somebody else to Panyijiar Constituency No. 227 if he is not fit for the position.
Radio Tamazuj could not immediately reach out to the SPLM party for comment.