Spokesperson of Parliament, Hon. Oliver Mori Benjamin - Credit: Obaj Okuj/Eye Radio April 22 , 2024

JUBA, (Eye Radio) – The Transitional National Legislative Assembly (R-TNLA) has closed the office of First Deputy Speaker Hon. Oyet Nathaniel, citing misconduct related to his activities on social media.

In a statement to state-owned broadcaster SSBC, Parliament Spokesperson Hon. Oliver Mori Benjamin said the decision was made by the parliamentary leadership.

He said the office closure was in response to Hon. Oyet’s continued use of parliamentary materials including official letterhead and the institution’s stamp—while publishing and engaging in issues online.

“The leadership has closed his office. Again it discovered that Oyet is active in the social media, reporting issues, taking issues, using the head paper of the parliament and the stamp of the parliament as well,” Mori said.

He further stressed that as of the date of the announcement, Hon. Oyet no longer holds the authority to speak or act on behalf of the TNLA.

“Because of that, he is no longer authorized to use any of these two, the heading paper of the parliament and the stamp of the parliament.”

“This is taken on administrative basis so that the parliament is not judged on what is on the social media. Let it be known to everybody that as from the date of this announcement, Oyet no longer carries authority in the name of the TNLA.”

First Deputy Speaker Oyet Nathaniel is yet to respond to the parliament claims.

Mr. Oyet has left Juba for a neighboring country while several other senior SPLM/A-IO officials have vanished to undisclosed locations within South Sudan after learning of an impending arrest, Information Minister Michael Makuei said on March 28.

Mr. Oyet has been vocal on social media following the detention of several SPLM-IO officials including First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar in Juba. This month, he suspended four senior members of SPLM-IO Political Bureau and Liberation Councils over an alleged plot to replace Machar as Chairman of the party.

The United Nations said South Sudan was on the brink of civil war following outbreak of violence in Upper Nile, Western Equatoria, Western Bahr el Ghazal, and in cantonment sites in Central Equatoria.

But the Minister of Information Michael Makuei maintained that the 2018 revitalized peace agreement has not collapsed and is in fact being implemented.