Hundreds of members of South Sudan’s national parliament were absent during a vote on the final passage of the National Security Act, after a bloc of ruling party MPs boycotted the sitting.
Article 74 of South Sudan’s constitution says that the quorum for sittings of the National Assembly shall be more than half of the members. The constitution mentions specifically that this quorum must be met at the final reading bills
Members of the ruling SPLM-Juba faction are disputing whether quorum was met at the vote on Tuesday afternoon or not.
Speaker Manasseh Magok Rundial told Voice of America that 165 members were present at the start of the sitting. However, Henry Odowar, another member of the SPLM-Juba faction who opposed the bill, disputed Magok’s figures.
He said, “Eighty-seven registered and when people started walking out, I am pretty sure less than 60 were now the people who passed the bill.”
It is presumed that all those present voted in favour of the bill, since no dissenting voices were heard. If a formal vote tally was kept, it has not been announced.
Agany Deng Kwac, a member of parliament from Northern Bahr el Ghazal State who supported the motion said the bill was unanimously endorsed. “For the best of my knowledge, I think no one from those who remained in the hall came out to oppose the decision making mechanism, so it was unanimously endorsed unopposed.”
He explained further that the parliament recognizes two decision-making mechanisms on legislative matters. “We have secret vote and consensus. Secret vote is exercised as the last resort when the house is unable to make a decision by consensus. But in this case, those who remained agreed to pass the vote unanimously. There was no voting,” he said.
Related:
Hundreds of MPs absent during vote on Kiir’s security bill (8 Oct.)
South Sudan MPs fail to show up for vote on Kiir loyalty oath (7 Oct.)
Bill requires South Sudan secret police to swear obedience (6 Oct.)