Deng Bol Deng, Executive Director of Intrepid South Sudan speaking to Eye Radio, March 2024. Photo Credit: Charles Wote/Eye Radio.

The head of civil society in Jonglei State has welcomed the appointment of a new Speaker of the Jonglei State Assembly following two years of parliamentary stalemate without sittings.

Bol Deng Bol, who is also the Executive Director of Intrepid South Sudan, said the appointment of Gabriel Malual Kon on 13 April 2026 should pave the way for the reopening of the assembly.

Kon, a member of SPLM-IO, replaces Amer Ateny, who was removed from office in February. He is expected to be sworn in this week.

Bol said the new Speaker should work with peace parties to address insecurity, displacement, and delays in salary payments for civil servants in the state.

He also called for the passage of a state budget and stronger financial oversight, saying the Jonglei State Assembly has operated without a budget and parliamentary scrutiny for several years.

Bol Deng Bol said: “The state has not had a functioning budget since the formation of this unity government in 2020.”

“The state has been only functioning outside the budget. We do not know where the state government has been getting the money and how they spend the money, ” he added:

Bol said the prolonged absence of sittings has left the executive operating with wide authority and called for renewed accountability in line with constitutional provisions.

He urged the new leadership to ensure transparent management of public resources and the establishment of a functioning budget for state operations.

Bol further said: “And so, we expect the new assembly to work very hard and ensure that there is a functioning budget.”