By Jenifer J. Ogawi
The leadership of South Sudan’s National Transitional Legislative Assembly (TNLA) has officially shut down the office of First Deputy Speaker Oyet Nathaniel, citing concerns over his use of social media – though no legal basis has been cited for the decision.
TNLA spokesperson Oliver Mori announced the move on Tuesday, stating that the action was taken on administrative grounds following Oyet’s repeated use of the official letterhead and stamp of parliament to issue statements on social media.
“The leadership has taken the decision to close the office of the First Deputy Speaker, Oyet Nathaniel,” Mori said. “He has been using the parliament’s heading paper and official stamp to issue statements on social media, which we consider unauthorized and misleading.”
Mori stressed that the measure aims to preserve the image and integrity of the legislature, warning that Oyet no longer holds authority to speak or act on behalf of the TNLA.
The suspension comes in the wake of a deepening political rift within the SPLM-IO, the main opposition party, following the recent arrest of Oyet’s party leader and First Vice President, Dr. Riek Machar. The internal party tensions have spilled over into public institutions, raising concerns about the stability of the transitional government.
As of now, the TNLA has not named a replacement to assume Oyet’s responsibilities. The SPLM-IO is yet to issue an official statement in response to the development.
