Makana breaks silence after impeachment, calls for action in Tombura

Former Speaker of South Sudan’s Transitional National Legislative Assembly, Anthony Lino Makana, has made his first public statement since his 2019 resignation, calling on Western Equatoria’s acting governor, Daniel Badagbu Rimbasa, to act swiftly to address the escalating security crisis in Tombura County. Makana, who stepped down amid accusations of embezzlement and unauthorized approval of […]
SPLM-IO’s parallel governance bid stokes fresh tensions

A war of words has erupted between members of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) and those in opposition, sparked by SPLM-IO’s self-exiled acting chairman, Oyet Nathaniel, who defiantly declared a parallel administration in areas controlled by his faction. The announcement, made on Monday, was met with harsh rejection from a Member of Parliament representing […]
NBGS lawmakers push for assembly reopening in face of executive delays

The Northern Bahr el Ghazal State Assembly has remained inactive, with its sessions suspended for about three months since March 2025. However, lawmakers had anticipated that the assembly would resume on June 1, 2025, with a primary focus on the fiscal year budget preparation ahead of the next financial year comes July 1, 2025. The […]
SSULA urges parliament to deliver on long-awaited land reform

Pressure mounts on Parliament to pass the overdue land policy as the South Sudan Land Alliance (SSULA) calls for immediate legislative action, warning that prolonged delays in passing the National Land Policy (NLP) are undermining peace, justice, and development across the country. SSULA Chairperson Dorothy Drabuga Ambrose urged lawmakers to treat the policy as a […]
All eyes on 2025-26 Financial Bill as Fiscal Year Budget out for public review

For the first time, South Sudanese citizens will have the opportunity to participate in the national budget process as the parliamentary committee for finance engages with civil society ahead of a public hearing on the 2025-2026 Fiscal Year Budget. The preparation process has begun, with civil society organizations receiving a draft copy of the financial […]
Opposition divisions cast uncertainty over South Sudan’s legislative future

South Sudan’s parliament is set to reopen in June 2025, but deepening political divisions threaten the stability of legislative proceedings. The ongoing crisis, particularly within the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-In Opposition (SPLM-IO), has disrupted parliamentary functions, raising concerns about governance and the future of the peace process, according to an activist. Civil society leader […]
Balanda community urges gov’t to probe killing of lawmaker

Balanda community in Tombura County, Western Equatoria State has called on the government to investigate the killing of a state member of parliament who was shot by unidentified gunmen on Thursday. In a statement signed by Eddy Ukele Gumasi, Balanda community chairperson, lawmaker Cross Bazia was ambushed and fatally shot while traveling to his farm […]
Imposing Par as SPLM-IO leader will create more problems, MP warns

A Member of Parliament representing Cueibet County, Lakes State, in the national assembly under the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement in Opposition (SPLM-IO), has warned that promoting Stephen Par Kuol to lead the party will only create more problems. In an interview with The Standard Zone News on Wednesday, Juol Nhomngek asserted that Mr. Par, who […]
SPLM-IO MP supports parliament’s resumption, calls for quorum clarity

A member of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement in Opposition (SPLM-IO), loyal to Dr. Riek Machar, has welcomed President Salva Kiir’s decision to reopen parliament amid ongoing political tensions. Juol Nhomngek Gec, an MP representing Cueibet County in Lakes State under the SPLM-IO ticket, told Standard Zone News on Wednesday that his party’s lawmakers will […]
Kiir orders parliament reopening in early June, budget debates ahead

South Sudan’s National Assembly will reconvene in the first week of June, following months of recess, President Salva Kiir ordered during a meeting with Speaker Jemma Nunu Kumba. The directive comes at a critical time as the country faces economic challenges and ongoing political tensions. Parliament initially adjourned in December 2024, leaving several legislative priorities […]