The Transitional National Legislature of the Republic of South Sudan is in Kenya to benchmark the running of the Parliamentary Commission (PSC).
According to a statement by the National Assembly, the newly formed commission is seeking to enhance its effectiveness to strengthen the legislative and oversight functions of its Parliament.
Led by its Chairperson Stephen Ajongo Akol, the commission was hosted by the PSC Chairperson Moses Wetangula at the Parliament buildings on Wednesday, March 12.
“We are here for benchmarking; our commission is new,” said Akol, who was accompanied by MPs Mary Wani, Regina Richard Aban, Regina Joseph Kaba, John Orach Nyakera, Dominic Bandima, Henry Amoko Moini, and James Thiam Lua.
“We saw that PSC (Kenya) has the best practice; we came to look at how to do it practically."
Wetangula, who reminisced on his presence when the world's youngest republic gained independence on July 9, 2011, in the capacity of Kenya's Foreign Minister, stated that Kenya was always ready to support South Sudan as the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) that led to its independence was brokered in the country.
“Your country was midwifed in Kenya. The peace you enjoy today is, in many ways, a product of Kenya’s dedication to ensuring stability in the region. We will be proud when you succeed,” he remarked.
He further expressed his commitment to supporting the East African country in developing robust parliamentary systems, encouraging them to visit the Centre for Parliamentary Studies and Training (CPST), a premier resource hub for capacity building and training of both national and county MPs and parliamentary staff on effective legislative practices.
Nyandarua MP Faith Gitau, who heads Staff Welfare at PSC, highlighted the importance of treating each commission member despite their party affiliations, saying, "PSC serves all members irrespective of their political parties. We treat them equally, not equitably."
The South Sudanese lawmakers expressed admiration for Kenya’s parliamentary structures, including the advancements in parliamentary independence, governance reforms, and legislative efficiency.
They also voiced plans to adapt some of the practices, praising Kenya’s model of parliamentary management, from staff welfare to legislative drafting services.
"If we are to undertake significant reforms, we must look to Kenya. We have learned invaluable lessons from this visit," said South Sudan's MP Wani.
