MPs during a session to ratify R-ARCSS in October, 2018

A renowned activist has suggested that the reconstituted transitional national legislative assembly should elect a woman as its next speaker.

Edmund Yakani argues that this is because the parties to the revitalized peace agreement failed to appoint enough women into the current transitional government.

On Monday, President Salva Kiir appointed 550 legislators for the national parliament.

The appointees were nominated by the various political parties to the 2018 peace deal.

Mr. Yakani, the Executive Director of the Community Empowerment for Progress Organization said out of 550 legislators, the SPLM, SPLM-IO, Opposition Alliance, Former Detainees, National Agenda, and Other Political Parties appointed only 159 women.

He stated that this is a violation of the 35 percent women representation quota.

“I don’t think that it is easy to call for them to reverse the appointment, and I think for right now they should balance,” Yakani said.

Observers say the parties have selected fewer women when it came to appointing Ministers, Governors, and now parliamentarians.

“I would call on the speaker to become a woman to balance the numbers. We also need to see quite a number of women appointed to lead specialized committees in the parliament,” Edmund Yakani told Eye Radio.

Since 2005, all previous parliaments have been led by male speakers. Among them are; James Wani Igga, Magok Rundial, Lino Makana.

The parties are yet to appoint legislators for the Council of States.