Upper Nile parliament resume sittings. (Photo/Office of the Governor).
Upper Nile State parliament reopened for the 2024-2025 sessions on Thursday after a year in dormancy, as Governor James Odhok officiated the ceremony which saw the swearing-in of newly appointed lawmakers and speaker.
According to Speaker Jacob Dollar Ruot, the state parliament had been closed due renovation work and resource constraints.
In an interview with Eye Radio, he said the legislature will now prioritize tabling of the state budget, addressing the insecurity in state and paying salaries of the MPs.
“The parliament has not been working for one year and half and that was a big challenge we have been going through. The excuse that was given by the leadership of the state government is that the issue of renovation and resources,” Mr. Dollar said.
“The first session priority is to call the ministry of Finance to present the budget in the assembly because we cannot operate in the state without a budget so we need to know exactly the resources we have in the state.”
He added that the parliament will call all the state ministers to present their work plans before the parliament.
“The members of the assembly have been working without salaries so that is the second priority and we will also address the issue of Insecurity in the state.”
Upper Nile State, especially the capital Malakal, has been mired in inter-communal conflict and tension that has since prevented the internally displaced persons from returning to the homes.
The latest incident triggered on May 30, 2024 by the killing of four fishermen in Fashoda County, led a major escalation of inter-communal violence in Malakal town where 10 people were killed and hundreds displaced.
Speaker Jacob said he believes that if the state parliament was functional the recent violence would have not escalated.
“There was an incident in Malakal town, and it was a very serious issue, and because there was absent of the assembly and it was not functioning, this issue was exaggerated and it became something big.”
“It is the role of the assembly members to also see those issues.”
In late 2022, a UN Report found that nearly 600 civilians were killed amid gross human rights abuses and serious violations of international humanitarian law by armed groups.
Recently, Upper Nile governor formed a committee to investigate the violence that rocked several parts of the state and ordered the arrest of army commanders in Akoka and Fashoda believed to be responsible for “unlawful and unjustified killings.”
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