MPs in South Sudan for East African parliamentary games

Speaker Moses Wetang’ula and a group of MPs are in South Sudan for the East African Parliamentary Games, which start on Friday.

Kenya is among the seven East Africa Community countries taking part in this years’ East African Legislative Assembly Games.

The games are hosted on rotational basis among member states and aim at enhancing inter-parliamentary diplomacy.

Wetang’ula said South Sudan has marked great strides towards attaining peace and stability.

He spoke to the press after being received at Juba International Airport by the first deputy speaker of the national legislative assembly Oyet Nathaniel.

“Coming to Juba to participate in this games for many of us is like a homecoming. We all know that the Republic of South Sudan was born in Nairobi after a long peace process that many of us participated in," Wetang'ula said.

The speaker said the move is symbolic and an appreciation of the peace situation in South Sudan.

“This sports bonanza shows that South Sudan has come of age,” he said.

Members of Parliament drawn from Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi, Uganda, DRC and South Sudan will participate in competitive games.

They include football, basketball, athletics, volleyball, netball and darts.

The games will take place in Juba, the capital city of the Republic of South Sudan for seven days.