Western Bahr el-Ghazal State MPs sworn in

All state constitutions had to be reviewed after South Sudan became independent on July 9 last year, and a new interim constitution was adopted.

Addressing yesterday’s first sitting, the President of the State High Court, Charles Abyei Mabieng, told the MPs that it was their role to pass legislations that will be used by local authorities to keep law and order.

MPs line up to welcome the new governor (15.05.2012/Wani Anthony).He says the High Court is just a stakeholder” in implementing the laws the parliament passes. You are responsible for the making of these laws and we will just be implementing them.”

He added that any wrong decision will lead to a lapse of the executive powers in the State. If you spoil the laws, there will be mistakes in the implementation.”

The former House Speaker, Andrea Mayar, calls upon all MPs to get serious about discussing matters pertaining to the development in their constituencies.

He says that the new MPs are not sitting in the assembly to fill up the chairs”, but to represent the people. We were brought here to formulate laws that will govern us and our people in Western Bahr el-Ghazal State.”

Previously, the state had 48 MPs. With Mathew Chan Majok, appointed by the State Governor to represent the disabled people in the assembly, the number of state MPs in Western Bahr el-Ghazal has risen to 49.

Mathew Chan Majok, one of the newly appointed MPs speaking to the press (15.05.2012/Wani Anthony).Mathew Chan Majok says he plans to commit himself to the service of his people. To the people I come from, I will not promise you all and tell lies and later on not do it. I will put it in my heart to do something for my people,” Chan says.

The state’s youth is rather reserved, like Awad Babikir, a resident of Hai Muozifin explains. It would have been better if they appointed one MP from the youth to represent the ideas of the youth.” But Babikir also says that it is all the same, they need to work for people’s interests”, which of course includes the youth.

The HIV Director in the state’s Ministry of Health, Natalina Wadareef, is excited about the new formation of the assembly, especially considering the time lapse since South Sudan’s independence. I feel grateful for this day”, as she believes that the MPs will be finally in the position to bring development to the new nation.

Mathew Deng, a resident of Jou, is happy about the swearing in of the MPs, but also emphasises the need to explain the new constitution to the people. I am happy that the parliament has been reconstituted but I think many people do not yet know the constitution in most parts of the state. So it is their (the MPs) role to explain it to them,” Deng says.

The assembly is expected to commence its formal sittings on Monday, May 21, according to the assembly’s clerk John Madut.