The speaker of the Transitional National Legislative Assembly (TNLA), Jemma Nunu Kumba, on Monday called on the lawmakers to shun tribalism whenever deliberating on national matters of concern.
Speaking during a parliamentary session at Freedom Hall in Juba, Kumba told the legislators that they are not in the House to represent their tribes but to work together as representatives of the people of South Sudan.
She appealed to TNLA members never to mention anything about tribes and warned them to desist from using tribal language during sittings.
“Honorable members, I want to call upon you to remain committed as you have always been. Let us demonstrate our nationalistic attitudes and spirit as honorable members representing our constituency,” Speaker Kumba told the MPs. “We are here not as tribes or regions but to represent the people and want to demonstrate our outmost respect among ourselves and respect to the leadership and our country.”
She added that mentioning tribes during the parliamentary interactions is akin to hate speech.
Kumba also called on the MPs to always have evidence whenever they raise any issue in the House.
The speaker’s caution and warning follow last Wednesday’s concerns voiced by a cross-section of legislators who charged that the recruitment process for parliamentary support staff was mired in corruption. The lawmakers then called for a transparent and merit-based recruitment process for the House’s support staff.
“If there are issues, raise them to the leadership through the right channels and you will get the right answers,” Speaker Kumba said. “Rumors should not be entertained because they only spoil your working relations.”
“As honorable members, before we raise any issue, you must have facts about the issue you are raising and the laws are always there to guide us,” Kumba concluded.