National Legislative Assembly in Juba, June 2013. Photo: Murray Olds/EyeRadio

The money that the members of parliament just received is abuse to the public funds from the parliamentarians, an advocate has said.

Last week, lawmakers got $25,000 each for health insurance, according to a member of parliament who preferred anonymity.

This is the third payment MPs have received in the last two years.

In 2018, each legislator was offered about $40,000 as a car loan.

“This is just a joke. Now the government keeps saying there is no salary…and hasn’t paid the civil servants,” said Philip Anyang, of Advocates Without Borders. “This is purely an abuse, basically, and it’s unacceptable.”

The MPs should focus on making laws that can benefit the people of South Sudan, he argued.

“They are parliamentarians and they should be focused on other things rather than looking for what benefits them. This is being selfish,” Anyang stated.