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Sudan Tribune

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S. Sudanese lawyer vows to block illegal election of regional MPs

July 13, 2017(JUBA) – A South Sudanese says he is closely monitoring the criteria that will be used by the coalition government to nominate its members to the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) and warned that any process not in the interest of the East African treaty would call for blocking of all those nominated.

South Sudanese MPs stand during a parliamentary session in Juba on 31 August 2011 (AFP)
South Sudanese MPs stand during a parliamentary session in Juba on 31 August 2011 (AFP)
In an interview with Sudan Tribune, Wani Santino Jada, said the process previously used to select MPs to the assembly was unfair and unrealistic.

“During the hearing, the attorney general confessed that the government was wrong and we reached into a concession that let them go back to Juba and conduct the election to meet the requirement of Article (50) of East Africa treaty of 1999 and to meet the requirement of East African election act,” said Jada.

Jada said Article (50) of the East Africa Community was misused by the South Sudanese president by appointing members of the ruling party and members of armed opposition faction allied to the First Vice President Taban Deng Gai.

He, however, said the process lacked inclusiveness by excluding other political parties in the country to contest as per the East Africa Community Policy Act.

The South Sudanese lawyer said nomination of the members of the armed opposition in the national assembly to the East Africa Parliament would not be accepted, since opposition entity was not registered as a political party.

“If the MPs under the Taban Deng Gai in the national assembly go through, am going to block them again in the court because the treaty is very clear that political parties are the legible parties that contest then the disability group and the social interested group, but the SPLM-IO [armed opposition faction] in parliament are not from a registered political party,” he stated.

Jada further said the SPLM-IO is not a political party unless it rejoins the main party under President Salva Kiir for their nomination to take place as per law.

He warned that any irregularities in relation to the nomination of members to the regional assembly would force him to file another case blocking it in the court.

Last month, South Sudan parliament revoked an earlier appointment of nine lawmakers to the East African Legislative Assembly, during an extraordinary session.

Jada brought the case before the East African Court of Justice in Tanzania, saying parliament and not the president had to select the nine South Sudanese members.

The president, in South Sudan, enjoys overwhelming legal powers. He appoints MPs, fire elected officials, including state governors and can suspend the national assembly according to the 2011 Transitional Constitution.

South Sudan officially joined the East African Community last year.

(ST)

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