Jemma Nunu Kumba as been appointed as South Sudan’s next parliament speaker
By Staff Writer
South Sudan President Salva Kiir has appointed his party’s Secretary General, Jemma Nunu Kumba as the speaker of the country’s next parliament, expanded to include several opposition groups in a government of national unity.
Kumba until then was the Secretary General of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement party which Kiir heads as well as Minister of Cabinet Affairs.
A first deputy speaker will be announced once the former rebel group of First Vice President Riek Machar provides a nominee, Kiir said at a party meeting in the capital Juba today.
The parliament’s second deputy speaker will be Parmena Awerial Aluong, from the SPLM party, Kiir said.
In the upper house, the council of states, Kiir said the group of Machar will take the speakership position while the deputy would be another SPLM member, Ayen Majok.
“So we have three women in the leadership of the legislature,” Kiir said.
Institution of the parliament is a key provision of the peace agreement which led to the formation of the government aimed at ending six years of devastating crisis which killed 400,000 people and displaced four million others, slashed crude production, the country’s main revenue source and led to economic chaos.
Kiir urged the new leaders to drive the legislature democratically as opposed to force.
“You are the big people in the parliament, you take care of the other small people to come after you but not by force but with realities,” he said.
“You have to convince people until they accept what you are saying.”
He lashed out at insecurity events ongoing in Tombura of Western Equatoria State though noted he won’t tolerate conflict in South Sudan.
“There is a very unfortunate situation in Western Equatoria and if there are people among you who never heard this, you have to hear now,” Kiir said.
“It is one of the things I am telling you always that I don’t want to take you back to war.”
According to Kiir, members of parliament will take the oath next week.
