File: US Ambassador Thomas Hushek addresses the press at the American Embassy in Juba on Dec 18, 2019 | Credit | Jale Richard/Eye Radio

The US ambassador to South Sudan has called on parties to the revitalized peace agreement to speed up the reconstitution of the national parliament.

According to the 2018 peace deal, the National Legislature shall consist of the Transitional National Legislative Assembly and the Council of States.

It stipulates that the parliament shall be expanded from 400 to 550 members.

The incumbent government shall have 332 members, SPLM-IO, 128 members, South Sudan Opposition Alliance, or SSOA with 50, Other Political Parties or OPP with 30, and the Former Detainees or FDs shall have 10 representatives.

The new peace accord further states that the reconstituted TNLA shall, in the conduct of its business, support the agreement and enact legislation that enables and assists the transitional processes and reforms described in the accord.

The role of parliament, among others, is to make laws and hold the government to account for its policies, actions, and spending.

Once reconstituted, its duration and term, according to the new peace deal, the august house shall run concurrently with that of the new unity government until elections are held.

But up to now, the new unity government is functioning without reconstituted parliament, which is supposed to hold the executive to account.

Ambassador Tom Hushek, the outgoing US ambassador to South Sudan, says the parliament is an important branch of the government.

“We are concerned about the slow pace in the peace process, we recognize the important step that happened earlier this year from the pre-transitional period to transition and the establishment of the new government. But then some very important things got stalled, Ambassador Hushek told Eye Radio.

“Allocation of the governorship has been waiting for very long. I would also add the need to reconstitute the parliament, that’s a very important branch of government that needs to be reconstituted.”

According to the 2011 Transitional Constitution of South Sudan, as amended, the parliament represents the will of the people of South Sudan and shall foster unity and nationhood, exercise legislative functions, oversee the executive, and promote the decentralized system of government.

It also has the right to summon ministers on matters related to their ministries; interrogate ministers about their performance or the performance of their ministries.