South Sudan's English Daily Newspaper
"We Dare where others fear"
By Awan Achiek
The Transitional National Legislative Assembly (TNLA) on Wednesday adjourned the session to discuss the speech delivered by President Salva Kiir during the opening of parliament on July 16 due to the absence of ministers.
On 22nd July 2025, the Transitional National Legislature formed a Select Committee to review and deliberate on the speech delivered by President Salva Kiir during the inauguration of the first session of parliament.
President Kiir’s speech touched on several issues, including the economy, peace and stability, food insecurity, youth unemployment, and the upcoming general elections slated for December 2024, among other topics.
Out of 35 cabinet ministers, only four were present, including the Ministers of Livestock and Forestry, Environment and Forestry, Public Service, and Justice and Constitutional Affairs.
Speaking during the presentation of the Select Committee’s report on Kiir’s speech, Elizabeth Adut, an SPLM lawmaker representing Northern Bahr el Ghazal State, requested the House to adjourn the sitting so that ministers could attend, stating that the President’s speech is a crucial policy document that cannot be discussed in the absence of ministers.
“My point of proceedings, Right Honourable Speaker, is about the Minister. The Nation put two. Ministers should attend the sitting to answer questions. This speech of the President is very important. We have 35 Ministers, and what we have here is only four Ministers,” Adut said during the parliamentary session on Wednesday.
For his part, Gatkuoth Wat, an SPLM-IO lawmaker representing Jonglei State, echoed a similar demand, stating that the discussion on Kiir’s speech is not a normal sitting; it requires the presence of all ministers.
“This speech of the President, which is the policy of the Nation, Right Honourable Speaker, is why we need all our Ministers to be here. It is not a normal sitting. It is the speech of the President. The President delivers the speech to the Nation through the Parliament. This is why, Right Honourable Speaker, we need our Ministers to be here,” said Wat.
Meanwhile, Dr. Jemma Nunu Kumba, Speaker of the Transitional National Legislative Assembly, directed the parliamentary affairs minister to inform the ministers to attend the session.
“Honourable Members of the House, you see, the speech of the President is a combination of all that happens in the sector. Of course, when the President is presenting his speech, all the Ministers should be there,” said Nunu.
She explained that it is crucial for ministers to attend the debate on the President’s speech so they can respond regarding their various ministries.
“Because he is reporting on what they have submitted to him. So when we are discussing, we are discussing what he has presented on all the sectors. It is in order that the Ministers should be around. The Ministers should be around because if there are any questions, who is going to answer?” she asked.
