Emmanuel Khamis, the Acting Mayor of Juba and Commissioner of Lainya County - Courtesy

The National Parliament has recommended to Central Equatoria State governor to relieve Juba City Acting Mayor after he appeared to have slapped a female vendor in a video circulating on social media

In a 2-minute and 9-second video clip, the acting Mayor Emmanuel Richard Khamis, accompanied by armed police and others, stormed vendors along the Seventh-Day roundabout.

The Acting Mayor and his team were seen chasing vendors from the roadsides. He was with two pistols.

Khamis who’s also the Commissioner of Lainya County slapped a woman vendor with his left hand.

The video angered South Sudanese online with some calling it an act of bad and poor leadership.

In a parliamentary sitting today, several lawmakers criticized the acting Mayor, prompting MP Reth Tan to raise a motion against his cruelty.

Lawmaker Tan said, the act by his Acting Lordship is a violation of the country’s constitution and does not reflect the picture of the nation.

“Our constitution articles 18 and 19, talk about freedom from torture and fair trial. We saw in a shocking video here in Juba by the Acting Mayor of Juba City slapping women and carrying a pistol, threatening vendors and that does not reflect the picture of South Sudan.

“It is inappropriate for the Acting Mayor himself to carry a pistol and abuse and assault women on the road.

The August House unanimously agreed that the acting Mayor be removed, but they will have to write officially to the Central Equatoria State governor Emmanuel Adil to act on the resolve.

The house speaker read the resolution: “The resolution of the house in this matter in which the Acting Mayor misused his powers to slap, and beat a woman, is a human rights violation against women, and therefore the house resolved to recommend to the Governor of Central Equatoria State to relieve the Acting Mayor from both positions”.