Sudan’s Parliament Members Demand Salary Payments Ahead Of Reopening

By Deborah Akur Chol, South Sudan

Members of the South Sudanese Parliament are urging the government to settle outstanding salaries, medical allowances, and other entitlements, including recess funds, before the legislature which was closed for recess due to the conflict between the white army and the SPLM in some part of the country, reconvenes.

This demand threatens to postpone the assembly’s planned return to the session.

The Transitional National Legislative Assembly was originally scheduled to reconvene on June 9 following a five-month hiatus.

Recently, Parliament Speaker Jemma Nunu Kumba met with President Salva Kiir to discuss reopening the legislature in the first week of June, with a primary focus on the debate and approval of the national budget for 2025-2026, which Kumba described as vital for tackling the country’s pressing economic and developmental issues.

However, several lawmakers have expressed scepticism about the June 9 reopening, citing various unresolved issues that may disrupt the assembly’s timely return.

Juol Nhomngek Daniel, a lawmaker representing Cueibet County under the SPLM-IO, emphasized that the payment of medical allowances and other dues must be addressed before the session can resume.

He pointed out that the lack of medical care frequently results in losses of parliamentary members due to illness.

Nhomngek also raised the need for security assurances to facilitate the safe return of SPLM-IO lawmakers, many of whom remain abroad following the detention of their leader, Riek Machar, in March.

He insisted that unsettled salaries and medical allowances must be prioritized before the government presents the 2025-2026 budget.

“The foremost priority is the welfare of the MPs,” he stated.

“Moreover, the security of the SPLM-IO MPs is still a concern. Some are hesitant to return to engage with the SPLM faction backed by the ruling party.”

He called on President Kiir to provide a public assurance to SPLM-IO members that they would not face arrest, stressing the importance of the ruling SPLM adhering to its peace agreement commitments to foster a conducive environment for legislative functions.

“The focus should be on reinstating the terms of the peace agreement so that all parties can work effectively.

Following this, the welfare of the MPs must be addressed. Many haven’t received their dues, making it challenging for them to fulfil their parliamentary roles,” he asserted.

Nhomngek further urged the SPLM to seek support from regional bodies like the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) in addressing Machar’s situation, arguing that the detained leader’s position, secured through the peace agreement, warrants justice.

Hellen Ngaidok Lokurnyang, a lawmaker from the Greater Pibor Administrative Area (GPAA), echoed Nhomngek’s concerns, noting that lawmakers have been without medical allowances for three years. Each MP is entitled to $30,000 for clothing allowances, medical expenses, and holiday packages, all of which have gone unpaid since 2021.

“Indeed, other MPs’ assertions are accurate. Additionally, our recess funds have not been disbursed. We have experienced three unpaid holidays, complicating our ability to engage with our constituencies,” Lokurnyang stated.

“So far as healthcare, clothing allowances, and holiday packages are concerned, some of us have completely lost track of when we last received them. The last medical allowance we received was $15,000 in 2022, and if nothing changes, there’s a high chance that several lawmakers may skip the upcoming session.”

Lokurnyang recognized the Vice President’s efforts for ensuring civil servants receive their salaries each month but lamented the liquidity issues in banks, restricting MPs’ access to their funds.

“Parliamentary salaries are deposited alongside those of civil servants, yet accessing or withdrawing them has been a continuing issue,” she added.

As a member of the Committee on Human Rights and Humanitarian Affairs, Lokurnyang reported that she has yet to receive her salary for May nor any arrears from last year when civil servants went unpaid for over a year.

Oliver Mori Benjamin, the chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee for Information and Communication, acknowledged delays in reopening due to “circumstances beyond our control,” although he did not provide additional details. He assured the public that a new date for the session would be announced soon.

“We will inform all media outlets, the public, and the honourable members of Parliament about the new date,” Mori stated to state media.