Salva Kiir Mayardit, SPLM chairperson | Credit | Eye Radio

President Salva Kiir has said Members of Parliament appointed to the national legislature will be sworn in next week.

Both the upper and lower houses were reconstituted by the President when he appointed Members of Parliament early this month, but the lawmakers have yet to be sworn in.

Addressing the SPLM MPs and leaders of the party’s top organs in Juba Friday, Kiir said the legislators will take their oath of office next week.

“You are supposed to be sworn in so that you can be a real caucus, we will do it in the coming week,” President Kiir said.

“All this time we have been saying we will do it next week, next week. The next week is becoming next year. It has to be done immediately. So it is better that we do it this time so that it relieves us,” he added.

In the meeting, Kiir also announced the party’s choice for Speaker of the Revitalized Transitional National Legislative Assembly.

The current Minister for Parliamentary Affairs and Acting SPLM Secretary-General, Jemma Nunu Kumba will be the Speaker of the R-TNLA.

The newly appointed members of the reconstituted national parliament were initially to take the oath of office on 9 July. However, this was postponed until a further date.

Last week, the administration of the R-TNLA started registering members of parliament to determine a date for their swearing-in.

Observers say the lack of a functional parliament made it difficult for the enactment of laws that assist the transitional processes, including reforms spelled out in the peace agreement.