Parliamentary sitting. April 12, 2024. (Photo: Obaj Okuj).

A member of the National Legislative Assembly was forced to apologize and withdraw a statement criticizing the SPLM’s Saturday rally he said was held at the expense of suffering South Sudanese.

Joseph Malual Doung who hails from SPLM-IO, Lakes State on Monday questioned why the parliament was hushed about the rally at a time the citizens were going hungry.

The parliament was deliberating on a report of the Inter-Parliamentary Union Assembly when the lawmaker digressed from the agender to speak about the economic hardship.

“I blame you the parliament here, although you are an appointee parliament you’re appointed by the government to serve the people. You are not appointed to come and keep quiet.

“If yesterday [Saturday] people were celebrating the endorsement of a president who can’t feed his people, then something is wrong with you [MPs].”

Malual’s remarks were deemed by many MPs as an affront to the SPLM leadership, igniting an uproar among the legislators.

Several MPs from various political affiliations clashed over the statement as some lawmakers raised hands to stop the MP from continuing with his statement.

For instance, MP Abraham Bair interjected and called on the Honorable Malual to withdraw his statement and apologize to the house.

“The previous speaker seems not to understand the sentiment of the house, and the whole nation. If there was anything, on Saturday Madam Speaker, the nation of South Sudan was represented in their millions even all other political parties.

“Therefore, the honourable MP must apologize to this house and not only to this house but to the whole nation because that attitude itself is not the attitude of Unity and the peace agreement or respect.”

Equally, others condemned his remarks describing it as disrespectful and potentially seditious.

“President is a symbol of the sovereignty of any given country and for an honourable member to rise and describe the president who is a symbol of the sovereignty of this country in that manner, Right Honorable Speaker I think it is unacceptable.

The honourable speaker has to withdraw his statement and apologise to the house before we proceed, said Daniel Abacha.

Amidst the escalating tension, parliamentary leadership swiftly intervened to restore order in the house.

Speaker Jemma Nunu Kumba who presided over the session called on the MP to abide by the call and retract his words, citing it was the resolution of the house.

“Honorable Malual, I think your statement addressing the president is not in place, this was SPLM problem because we are here as a unity government.

“So it is not place for any member here from any another party to say anything prerogative against the president because he is not from your party, ” she said while urging the MP to apologize.

In compliance, MP Joseph Malual took to the floor and apologized.

“Now, if this is the way you want to run the thing ok,  I apologized . Although I didn’t intend say anything against the president, thank you ok, I withdraw it,” he said.

The compelled apology and retraction marked a rare instance of parliamentary intervention in response to criticism directed at the highest office in the nation.