By Alan Clement
Speaker Jemma Nunu Kumba has condemned the killing of Council of States member Luka Mathen Toupiny, warning the Juba assassination underscores worsening insecurity and rising concerns over citizens’ safety.
The condemnation followed a statement raised on the floor of parliament by Margaret Samuel Arou Bol, a lawmaker from Lakes State’s Cueibet County, who cited Regulation 67 (d) of the Conduct of Business Rules to formally inform the House of the killing.
She described the deceased as a “bright young leader with unlimited potential,” whose life was cut short in a violent attack at his residence in Gudelle Block Four, Juba, on Saturday, 13 December 2025.
According to the MP, Toupiny was shot dead at his home in what was described as a cold-blooded killing, sending shockwaves through parliament and the wider political community. His death marks one of the most serious security incidents involving a sitting legislator in recent years.
“Killing of an MP in the heart of town, Juba, which is the capital city of the Republic of South Sudan, is not an easy matter,” Margaret Samuel told the House.
She said the incident should compel legislators to reflect on the prevailing security situation and their collective responsibility to address it.
Responding to the statement, Speaker Kumba described the killing as “very unfortunate and unacceptable,” stressing that disputes among individuals should be resolved through lawful means rather than violence.
“If people have problems with each other, the courts are there, the committees are there,” the Speaker said, urging respect for the rule of law. She led the House in observing a minute of silence in honour of the slain lawmaker.
The Speaker went further to link the assassination to broader concerns about public safety, posing a stark question to the chamber: if a member of parliament can be killed in such a manner, what protection exists for ordinary citizens.
“Just to be killed like that. What about the rest? What about the ordinary citizens?” she asked.
The killing has reignited long-standing parliamentary concerns about insecurity in Juba and other urban centres, where incidents of targeted killings, armed robberies, and attacks on public officials have been reported over the years.
Lawmakers have repeatedly used parliamentary sittings to raise alarm over the proliferation of small arms, weak law enforcement, and limited accountability for violent crimes.
Parliamentary records showed that insecurity has featured prominently in previous debates, particularly during discussions on national security budgets, public order laws, and oversight of security institutions.
Committees responsible for national security and public order have, in past sessions, warned of gaps in intelligence coordination and policing, especially in residential areas of the capital.
Although details surrounding the motive of Toupiny’s killing have not yet been officially disclosed on the floor of parliament, lawmakers emphasized that the attack reflects a pattern of violence that has, at times, claimed the lives of politicians, civil servants, and community leaders across the country.
In previous sessions, MPs have cited attacks on lawmakers and political figures in states and administrative areas as evidence of fragile security conditions, often calling on the executive to strengthen protection for public officials while also improving general policing for civilians.
Margaret Samuel told the House that addressing insecurity should not be left solely to security organs, but should involve legislators through stronger laws, oversight, and advocacy.
“It is a collective responsibility,” she said, calling on parliament to play its role in improving security conditions nationwide.
The Speaker’s remarks suggest that the killing is likely to feature in subsequent parliamentary engagements with security institutions, as lawmakers seek explanations and possible measures to prevent similar incidents.
As the House mourns the loss of Luka Mathen Toupiny, his killing has once again placed the spotlight on South Sudan’s persistent security challenges, particularly in Juba, where the presence of state institutions has not always translated into safety for residents.
Recently there was a media report that some of the suspected in the killing of the MP were arrested.