President Salva Kiir Mayardit on Saturday evening dissolved the Transitional National Legislative Assembly and the Council of States, making way for the reconstitution of both houses per the 2018 revitalized peace agreement.

The announcement was made in a presidential decree broadcast on state television on Saturday.

The two houses should have been reconstituted more than a year ago after the announcement of the formation of the executive arm of the government last year.

Due to the delay, observers and some government officials have disregarded the two institutions saying they were illegitimate. This has also made it difficult to enact laws and reforms in the agreement. 

The revitalized peace agreement demands that the reconstituted parliament be expanded from 400 to 550 members representative of all the parties to the agreement. It also gives the allocation proportions for member parties.

As for the Council of States, the agreement increases the number from 50 to 100 members, but parties to the agreement have recently amended the numbers.

Activists and members of the international community have times without number called on the government to expedite the formation of the revitalized legislature.