JUBA, South Sudan — The Transitional National Legislative Assembly (TNLA) announced that starting Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2024, unaccredited journalists will be barred from covering parliamentary proceedings. The decision follows a directive from the Media Authority, the body responsible for overseeing media operations in the country.
Oliver Mori Benjamin, chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee for Information, stated that only journalists accredited by the Media Authority will be allowed to cover the House’s plenary sessions. He emphasized that a verification process at the gate will ensure the authenticity of accredited journalists by matching the details on their press cards with their identification.
“We have received a letter from the authority stating that any journalist who is not accredited will not be allowed to cover parliamentary sittings or any government institutions,” Mori said after a parliamentary session on Monday. “Any journalist conducting an interview must have an accreditation ID from the Media Authority, and we have been provided with a copy of all the IDs of accredited journalists in the Republic of South Sudan.”
Mori added that a list of 116 accredited journalists has been provided, and he urged all reporters visiting parliament to present their accreditation cards to gain access to the TNLA premises. The accreditation process is designed to verify the credentials of working journalists and other qualified media practitioners.
