(JUBA) – South Sudan’s parliament is expected to resume sittings on Wednesday, 16 July 2025, after a six month break largely caused by unpaid parliamentary allowances, following rising political and economic tension in the country.
The long pause in legislative activity has drawn public concern, particularly as South Sudan remains the only East African Community (EAC) member yet to present a national budget for the 2025/26 financial year. This comes despite looming national elections scheduled for December 2026 and mounting pressure to implement reforms required by the 2018 Revitalised Peace Agreement.
According to parliamentary spokesperson Oliver Mori Benjamin, the Transitional National Legislative Assembly (TNLA) and the Council of States will officially reconvene on Wednesday morning, with lawmakers expected to report to parliament by 9 a.m. and sessions commencing at 10 a.m.
“We are informing you today that the long awaited reopening of the national legislature is scheduled for Wednesday, 16 July,” Mori said during a televised announcement on the South Sudan Broadcasting Corporation (SSBC). He did not confirm whether outstanding allowances have been paid to lawmakers.
Parliamentarians had originally gone on recess on 18 December 2024 for what was supposed to be a four month break. However, the legislative session was not resumed as planned, with many lawmakers citing the lack of allowances as a key reason for the extended delay.
The Speaker of Parliament, Jemma Nunu Kumba, previously acknowledged the unpaid funds and said all necessary documentation for recess and medical allowances had been submitted to the Ministry of Finance. These include payments for the first and second recesses earlier in 2024, as well as for the current one.
Below is a summary of the allowances reportedly submitted for processing:
| Allowance Type | Status | Submission Entity |
|---|---|---|
| First Recess Allowance | Submitted | Parliament to Finance Ministry |
| Second Recess Allowance | Submitted | Parliament to Finance Ministry |
| Current Recess Allowance | Submitted | Parliament to Finance Ministry |
| MPs’ Medical Fund | Submitted | Parliament to Finance Ministry |
While Speaker Kumba praised lawmakers for passing key bills related to the peace agreement, she acknowledged that many legislative priorities remain pending. These include bills on wildlife conservation, cybercrime and amendments to the NGO Act and the National Examination Council Act.
Also awaiting parliamentary debate are several national policy documents such as the Sports Development Policy (2020–2030), the National Land Policy (2020–2024), and the National Youth Development Policy.
South Sudan’s delay in presenting its budget stands in contrast to its EAC neighbours Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi, all of whom passed their budgets by the start of the current financial year. South Sudan continues to operate under the previous year’s fiscal plan.
The budget delay comes as the government grapples with a deepening financial crisis, marked by severe cash shortages, unpaid public sector wages and disruptions in oil exports due to ongoing conflict in neighbouring Sudan. The pipeline running through Port Sudan remains a vital route for South Sudan’s crude exports, but the war has hampered revenue flows.
Finance Minister Dr. Marial Dongrin Ater recently admitted that the country’s liquidity challenges remain unresolved despite coordinated efforts between his ministry and the central bank.
“The money goes into accounts, but there is no cash. So getting cash is the biggest problem,” he said during the swearing-in of the new central bank governor, Dr. Addis Ababa Othow.
Teachers, civil servants and soldiers have been particularly hard-hit by the shortage. In some cases, teachers have collapsed from hunger after being unable to withdraw salaries that appear only on paper. Public frustration has grown amid reports of corruption within the central bank, including a 10% kickback scheme President Salva Kiir recently ordered to be investigated.
Inflation also continues to rise due to the weakening South Sudanese Pound (SSP), which currently trades at around 4,650 SSP per US Dollar.
With elections approaching, a functional legislature will be critical to enacting electoral reforms and funding national institutions. However, questions remain over the government’s ability to meet its obligations, including financing the budget, paying salaries and maintaining political stability.