National Legislative Assembly Chamber (Photo by Lou Nelson, Eye Radio)

The Transitional National Legislative Assembly has adjourned Monday’s sitting due to a technical fault with the microphones in the main hall.

The sitting was intended to discuss the quarterly report of the Reconstituted Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission of the Revitalized Peace Agreement, presented by interim Chairperson Ambassador Charles Tai Gituai.

The agenda also included a joint report from three parliamentary committees on the International Convention for the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism 1999, by the Chairperson of the Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Committee, Hon. Joseph Malwal Dong.

The sitting, chaired by First Deputy Speaker Hon. Nathaniel Oyet, was suspended shortly after the microphones failed, and adjourned to Tuesday.

The lawmakers noticed that there was a problem with the sound of the microphones inside the hall.

The spokesperson of the parliament, Oliver Mori, confirmed that it was a technical incident and that technicians were working on its maintenance.

After the technicians were notified of the technical problem, they rushed to fix it, but their efforts were unsuccessful, and the legislators waited for some time, he said.

After the technical problem took long to be fixed, the first deputy speaker then decided to postpone the sitting until the next day to allow time for the issue to be resolved.

“There was sound shortage and all the Mics in the Hall was not working when you talk cannot be heard and this is a technical problem which the people of electricity and the sound system in Parliament will handle it,” he said.

“The members waited for sometimes on the hope that the mistake could be rectified of the sound but it was not forthcoming. So, the Right Honorable Nathaniel Oyet decided to call the Sitting off.”

The parliament building had only been inaugurated in April 2024 following more than 4 years of maintenance and rehabilitation, which included the installation of the latest audio and video equipment.

Despite these upgrades, the Speaker of Parliament, Jemma Nunu Kumba, has repeatedly urged members during the sitting to handle the modern equipment properly to avoid damage.

Eye Radio also has observed that during many sittings, the practice of pressing the microphone button to speak often leads to interruptions and echoes in the system.

It also noticed that some MPs press the button randomly, both before and during the sittings.

This sometimes leads to echo sounds, fluctuations, video and audio interruptions during deliberations.