Speaker Says More Than 100 Lawmakers Have Died in Office

(JUBA, Central Equatoria State) – The Transitional National Legislative Assembly has lost more than one hundred Members of Parliament over the years, Speaker Rt. Hon. Joseph Ngere Päciko has said, as he called on colleagues to reflect deeply on their own lives and service.

Speaker Päciko made the remarks during a formal Reception of Tribute for the late Hon. Eng. Anthony Kudus Justin, a long serving MP from Kajo Keji County who died after a period of illness.

“I want to say this after having lived with the death of over a hundred colleagues, the MPs in the TNLA,” Speaker Päciko told the assembled lawmakers, family members and mourners.

The Speaker urged Members to ask God to teach them to number their days so that they may gain a heart of wisdom, citing Psalm 90:12. He said numbering days means living with awareness that life is short and refusing to waste it.

When reminded that days are numbered, the Speaker said, small problems shrink. He pointed to traffic in Juba, politics in plenary and social media drama as things that stop feeling like the whole world. The question becomes, he said, “Will this matter in 10 years?”

Speaker Päciko told the House that gaining a heart of wisdom must be the ultimate goal, not merely counting days. He called on MPs to invest time properly in people, purpose and God himself instead of chasing everything.

He said numbering days makes a person say thank you for today’s breath rather than asking why for yesterday’s loss. Each day, he added, becomes a gift and not a debt.

The Speaker noted the House has lost many friends, colleagues, husbands, wives and close relatives. He called for social and spiritual self auditing by asking two questions: Who did I serve today, and what did I learn today? If the answer is none, he warned, something needs to change because life is too short.

“We are just a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes,” Speaker Päciko said.

He cautioned against trying to control everything and ending up with stress, blood pressure and diabetes whether successful or not.

He urged patience and resilience while struggling with life and particularly the economy.

The Speaker ended his tribute with a prayer asking God to give wisdom to choose what matters tomorrow, to serve others well and to let no days be wasted on anger, pride, conspiracy, rumour mongering or empty busyness.

He announced that Parliament intends to institutionalise a structured tribute framework and adopt Standing Order provisions for Motions of Condolence.

The proposed Demonstrative Tribute System will ensure that tributes to deceased Members are conducted in a dignified, consistent and procedurally recognised manner in future sittings.

The late Hon. Anthony Kudus Justin served in the House from 2010 until he fell ill and passed away.

Republic of South Sudan Transitional National Legislative Assembly Office of the Speaker

Date: 29/06/2026

Tribute to late Hon. Anthony Kudus

Protocol

First Deputy Speaker, TNLA First Deputy Speaker, Council of States, Deputy Speakers, Government Chief Whip, Opposition Chief Whip, SSOA Chief Whip, & other Whips. The Leader of Government Business, Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Parliamentary Service Commissioners, Caretaker Chairs and Deputies, Members of Parliament, Family and Community members of late Hon. Anthony Kudus. Good morning.

It is with a heavy heart that I stand here, on behalf of the Transitional National Legislative Assembly, to mourn the passing of our Hon. Colleague, Anthony Kudus, Member from Kajokeji County, CES.

Hon. Kudus served this House with distinction from 2010 until he fell sick leading to his demise. His seat is empty today, but his memory and legacy will remain in our minds and hearts.

I knew the late very well in 2014 when we started researching and benchmarking for the establishment of Parliamentary Service Commission (PSC) in 2014. We travelled to Kenya and Ghana together with those of former Deputy Speaker, late Jasmine Samuel Adakay. He was my friend, my counsel, and a close confidant.

I remember the sleepless days we spent together drafting the report of our mission together under one torch in this house. Today, we have the PSC operational resulting in the Autonomy of the Parliament of the Republic of South Sudan. This was the great contribution of late Hon. Anthony Kudus.

Late Hon. Anthony Kudus was an intellectual, logical and calm, argumentative, and a critical thinker. He believed Parliament was a place of service, not quarrel. He believed in South Sudan. He believed our people deserve peace, schools, and dignity. He wished to see a prosperous South Sudan.

The best tribute we can give him today is to finish the work he started. To serve with integrity by operationalizing fully the Parliamentary Service Commission (PSC).

I want to say this after having lived with the death of over a hundred colleagues, the MPs in the TNLA.

We should ask God to teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom. Psalm 90:12. Numbering our days is about living with awareness that life is short, so we do not waste it.

When we remind ourselves that our days are numbered, small problems shrink. Traffic in Juba, politics in plenary, social media drama, these problems stop feeling like the whole world. You start asking: “Will this matter in 10 years?”

Now that our days are numbered we must gain a heart of wisdom as our ultimate goal, not just counting. We must invest time properly in people, purpose, and God himself; instead of chasing everything.

Numbering days make us say “thank You” for today’s breath, instead of “why me” for yesterday’s loss. Each day becomes a gift, not a debt.

We have lost many friends, colleagues, husbands, wives, and close relatives in this august House. Therefore, we must number our days by social and spiritual auditing of ourselves, by posing these questions:

Who did I serve today? What did I learn today?

If the answer is none, something needs to change in our lives because LIFE IS TOO SHORT!!

We are just a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. We must stop trying to control everything in ourselves and then ending up with stress, blood pressure, diabetes, etc when we are not successful or even successful. Let us start stewarding what God gave us today. Let us have patience and resilience while struggling with life and particularly economy.

I want to end my tribute to late Hon. Anthony Kudus, by strengthening us with this prayer because none of us know tomorrow: Our future is unpredictable!!

“Heavenly Father, Teach us to number our days, not to fear them, but to value them.

Remind us that our time is short and every breath is our gift.

Give us hearts of wisdom today to choose what matter tomorrow, to serve others well, and to walk with You.

Let none of our days be wasted on anger, pride, conspiracy, rumor mongering or empty busyness. In Jesus’ name I have prayed, Amen.”

Go thee well, Anthony Kudus.