Africa-Press – South-Sudan. The Transitional National Legislative Assembly (TNLA) descended into chaos on Tuesday as members of the National Legislature engaged in a heated debate over the long-delayed 2025-2026 national budget.
The session was marked by procedural protests, physical interruptions, and an eventual appeal for “patriotism” over constitutional strictness.
The tension began immediately as the Minister of Finance and Planning, Bak Barnaba Chol, took the podium. Despite Speaker Jemma Nunu Kumba’s earlier directive that no points of information be raised during the tabling, the session was disrupted by Abuk Malual Akeen (SPLM, Lakes State).
In a moment of intense disorder that halted proceedings for ten minutes, Abuk reportedly attempted to physically pull the draft budget from the Minister’s hands. Security aides were forced to intervene and escort her from the chambers to prevent further escalation.
Once order was restored, several lawmakers voiced their rejection of the budget, arguing that its presentation in February—eight months late—was a blatant constitutional violation.
Samuel Buhari Loti (Torit County) moved that the presentation cease immediately, citing a breach of the Appropriation Act.
“The Minister of Finance has violated Section 12c… he is supposed to present two quarterly reports. Failure to do so, this house has the right to vote him out,” Buhari argued. “I move that this budget presentation should cease.”
The SPLM Chief Whip, Tulio Odongi Ayehu, echoed these concerns, noting that February is typically reserved for “budget calls” for the next fiscal cycle, not the tabling of the current one. However, Odongi urged the House to apply the “rule of logic,” noting that the current Minister, a new appointee, inherited a difficult economic situation.
In a candid admission, Speaker Jemma Nunu Kumba acknowledged that the tabling was both “unconstitutional and unprocedural.” She noted that South Sudan continues to operate under unique and difficult circumstances that often impede strict legal adherence.
“You are right; in an ideal situation, this is what is supposed to be done. But our country has its own unique challenges,” Speaker Kumba told the MPs. “There are things that we are not doing according to the law. One of them is the budget.”
The Speaker appealed to the lawmakers’ sense of patriotism, asking them to “bend some things to move forward” and formalize the 2025/2026 budget so the Ministry could focus on preparing the upcoming cycle on time.
Following the Speaker’s intervention, Minister Bak Barnaba Chol was permitted to proceed with the reading, officially initiating the process to legalize the nation’s expenditure for the remainder of the fiscal year.
For More News And Analysis About South-Sudan Follow Africa-Press
