The SPLM-IO parliamentary caucus in the Transitional National Legislative Assembly (TNLA) on Monday morning ended its boycott of parliamentary sittings.
First Deputy Speaker Nathaniel Oyet Pierino told Radio Tamazuj that the SPLM-IO ended the boycott following a meeting between President Salva Kiir and First Vice President Riek Machar which resolved that all the Parliamentary Bills that were passed in the absence of the IO legislators will be brought back to the house for deliberation.
“The SPLM-IO members of parliament have returned to parliament today (Monday),” Oyet said. “President Salva Kiir and First Vice President Riek Machar met and issued some directives to the speaker and the Bills which were passed without consensus are going to be returned to the house for further deliberation.”
“So, following those directives, we decided that members of the SPLM-IO can go back to parliament to deliberate on the Bills which will be re-tabled,” he added.
Deputy Speaker Oyet said the affected Bills were the ones on the permanent constitution-making process and the wildlife service.
“So, these Bills which were passed without the participation of the SPLM-IO and without consensus being achieved are going to be re-tabled,” he said.
Oyet reiterated the SPLM/SPLA-IO’s commitment to the full implementation of the revitalized peace agreement in letter and spirit.
“We the members in the legislature are here to work, together with other parties, to facilitate the implementation of the peace agreement,” he said. “We will work to enact the reforms prescribed by the peace agreement and ensure that they are passed into law. Our disagreement before was on the procedure of handling these Bills coming from the National Constitutional Amendment Committee (NCAC) drafted pursuant to the revitalized peace agreement.”
“Now we have been directed and advised by the RJMEC to handle these as special Bills since they are meant for peace implementation,” he added.
The SPLM-IO announced a boycott of all parliamentary sittings in June protesting the passing of the Political Parties Act, 2012 (Amendment) Bill, 2022 with an amendment that increased the minimum number of members required for political party registration from 300 to 500.