South Sudan parliament due to discuss capital relocation soon: MP

August 3, 2014 (JUBA) – South Sudan’s national assembly will soon sit down to deliberate on whether to relocate the national capital from Juba to Wau, MP Manase Magok said on a visit to the Western Bahr el Ghazal state capital on Sunday.

Manase Magok, a member of South Sudan’s national legislative assembly, speaks at an event in the Western Bahr el Ghazal state capital, Wau, on 3 August 2014 (ST)

Magok, who was in Wau to attend the official launch of Golden Wings airline’s new Juba-Wau service, said parliament acknowledged calls from the people of Western Bahr el Ghazal state to relocate the national capital.

“[The] people of Wau have [the] right to lobby for the capital’s transfer, but the last decision will come from other states if they agree to relocate the national capital to Wau than the national assembly will use their right,” he said.

Meanwhile, the speaker the council of states, Joseph Bol Chan, also stressed that any decision must be based on the wishes of the South Sudanese people.

Meanwhile, South Sudan’s minister of humanitarian affairs, Lual Achuil said his home state of Warrap had already come out in support of the proposal.

Achuil said he is also supportive of the transfer, but said road links between Greater Bahr el Ghazal states and Juba would need to be improved.

Last month, thousands took to the streets calling for the nation’s capital to be relocated to Wau after the matter was raised by governor Rizik Zackaria Hassan during a visit by president Salva Kiir last month.

(ST)