Election of the East Africa Legislative Assemly Speaker. (Photo: SSBC).

South Sudan has reportedly pulled out of the contest for the position of Speaker of the East Africa Legislative Assembly.

The country relinquished her quest for the position, a few hours after President Salva Kiir nominated Dr. Anne Itto Leonardo as one of the preferred candidate.

All the three nominees from South Sudan dropped out of the race leaving Burundi nominee on the race unopposed, according to the state-owned television SSBC.

Earlier in the morning, the Minister of Presidential Affairs Dr. Barnaba Marial Benjamin requested the regional bloc to give the position to South Sudan.

In a letter addressed to the Minister of East African Affairs, Marial asked the parliament to acknowledge article 6 of the EAC treaty, which calls for equitable distribution of benefits.

Marial argues that Burundi currently heads the East Africa Court of Justice, the Summit of Heads of State of the EAC as well as the regional Council of Ministers.

The minister appealed for Burundi to step down for South Sudan, which he says has not benefited in terms of employment in the region.

South Sudan became the sixth member of the East African Community in April 2016.

The decision to join the EAC is seen as an important step for the country to develop its trade strategy.