Kiir Appoints More MPs, Fulfils Peace Deal for Legislature Composition

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Juba — South Sudan's President Salva Kiir at the weekend appointed 28 more MPs selected from the Other Political Parties (OPP), which was left out during the reconstitution of the national legislature months ago.

The selection was in response to the provision of the 2018 peace agreement that stipulates for the reconstitution of the national legislature from 400 to 550 lawmakers.

Among those appointed is MP is current Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management, Peter Mayen, who was recently defrocked from his OPP chairmanship by coalition members.

Delay in appointment

In May, after waiting for more than a year, President Kiir issued a decree reconstituting the Transitional National Legislative Assembly.

The order included members of Sudan people's Liberation Movement (SPLM), National Agenda, Democratic Change (D.C) party, Sudan people's Liberation Movement-In Opposition (SPLM-IO), South Sudan Opposition Alliance (SSOA), Other Opposition Parties (OPP), and former detainees (FDs).

Fifty members of OPP were appointed - a correct allocation as stipulated in the peace deal. However, President Kiir later revoked some of the appointments.

This was in response to some party members' complaints who said the initial list of nominees submitted for appointment to the President was done unilaterally by Mayen, the then party leader.

The coalition leaders said the appointees did not represent the six parties making up the OPP.

Following Kiir's fresh appointments, some coalition members on Monday morning criticised Kiir for naming Minister Mayen as MP on the OPP ticket yet he was ousted earlier this month.

They questioned how Kiir selected the new legislators.