Yei Residents Questions Legislative Council’s Performance

(YEI RIVER COUNTY) – Some residents and civil society activists in Yei River County have expressed concern over what they describe as the Yei River County Legislative Council’s failure to effectively carry out its oversight responsibilities since its establishment two years ago.

Under South Sudan’s Local Government Act of 2009, county legislative councils are mandated to oversee the executive and judicial arms of government, enact local bylaws, and promote policies that safeguard public interests and improve service delivery. However, residents and observers argue that the council has yet to pass a single bylaw or major public policy, raising questions about its effectiveness.

Amule Cosmas, a resident of Yei Town, said many citizens remain unaware of the council’s role despite numerous challenges facing communities across the county.

“The council is supposed to work for the public interest, but our councilors are not performing their mandate. We do not understand why the council remains silent on issues such as local policies, taxes, poor service delivery, and education challenges that require urgent attention,” he said.

Another resident, Jackline Tumalu, accused the council of failing to advocate for the needs of communities, particularly in the health sector.

“People in Mugwo, Otogo, Lasu, and Tore Payams are struggling because many health facilities lack medicines. The legislative councilors have remained silent about the challenges facing people in their constituencies,” she said.

Responding to the concerns, Yei River County Legislative Council Chairperson Cladio Mila acknowledged the complaints and attributed the council’s limited performance to a lack of financial resources.

“The council has not been able to perform effectively due to limited funding. While the new County Commissioner is working well with us, some institutions do not want the legislature to function independently in the public interest. We have more than 30 motions awaiting deliberation, but our work has been weakened by budget constraints,” Mila explained.

However, community social activist Yeka Joel Denis argued that financial challenges should not prevent councilors from fulfilling their constitutional responsibilities.

“Much as there are financial challenges, the council still has a role to play without necessarily demanding a large budget. We have neither seen nor heard of any bylaw passed by the legislative council in Yei. With or without money, we want the council to function and deliver for the people,” Denis said.

Despite the criticism, Mila revealed that the council is expected to begin deliberations on key policy matters this month, starting with the county budget, a move residents hope will mark the beginning of more active legislative engagement.