Some members of the Council of States have condemned the creation and the implementation of more counties by some of the new governors without the approval of the council.

They say the act is against the law.

About two weeks ago, almost all governors of the 28 states submitted their requests for new counties, with exception of Eastern Nile State.

Some of them requested for as many as 16 counties.

Most of the governors argued that they needed more counties to decentralize power and to allow services to reach people at the grass roots.

The council of states earlier said it was still discussing standards modalities to guide the formation of the counties before it can give approval.

However, MPs in the Council say some governors went ahead to create new counties without the approval.

“This country must run on legal principles of law. It disturbs me that we continue to create situations outside law,” said Hon Clement Janda, an MP from the former Central Equatoria State.

Nelson Lomata, Member of Parliament representing Yei River State, says creation and operationalization of the new counties without the approval of the Council of States is a violation of the law.

“The government Act, 2009, has been violated, and I think we should be proud to state that this law has been violated by the governors of the 28 states, because they were told by the president to go and form their cabinets, but they went as far as formation of local government councils,” Hon Lomata said.

The Council says creation of the new counties is acceptable, but it should have been done according to the guidelines that will be set by the council.

The matter has been forwarded to the Committee for Decentralization and States’ Affairs, Committee for Legislation and Human Rights, and the Committee for Political and Foreign Relations.

They will report back to the Council of States after completing their findings.