President Salva Kiir dismissed the president of the transitional parliament, Jemma Nunu Kumba, and her vice-president, Permena Awerial Aluong, from their positions on Tuesday.
The first woman to hold this position, 60-year-old Jemma Nunu Kumba, was appointed in July 2021 by the head of state and subsequently unanimously approved by both houses of Parliament, with the mission of strengthening peace and unity within the institution. According to several sources, members of the ruling Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) voted in late March to pass a motion of no confidence against her.
They denounced, in particular, mismanagement of parliamentary funds and alleged acts of corruption. This is a first for this majority party, which holds 332 out of 550 seats in Parliament. Following this, new appointments were announced: Joseph Ngere Paciko was appointed Speaker of the Assembly, while Abuk Payiti Ayik became Vice-Speaker. This decision comes amid a tense situation in South Sudan, marked by a resurgence of clashes between rival militias in Upper Nile State, where the fighting is taking place.
