The assembly’s new speaker, Chuol Dep Kier, told Radio Tamazuj after the swearing-in ceremony that they will prioritize peace and service delivery.
“The people of Upper Nile State have suffered a lot because of the 2013 war and the floods. So, our priority after being sworn in on Monday is peace and reconciliation,” Speaker Dep said. “We want the people of Upper Nile to come back and love themselves, then we will work with the executive to deliver services.”
He added: “the swearing-in ceremony was conducted well. 88 of us were sworn-in, 4 members of parliament missed out on the ceremony because they were not in Malakal, and 8 others from the Other Political Parties (OPP) were also not sworn-in because they are yet to be appointed by the president. This however will not affect the quorum.”
The speaker called on the locals in the state to support the lawmakers as they execute duties.
Luke Sadhalla Deng, the state information minister, said the swearing-in of the lawmakers will ensure the effective running of the state government.
“The lawmakers will be making the necessary laws for our work as the executive, and as the executive, we will cooperate with the legislature. So, our message to all the 13 counties is peace and reconciliation,” he said.