South Sudan: Challenges of Fighting Meg-Corruption

Demands for the autonomous Government of Southern Sudan to curb the spread of corruption in high places continue to heighten in the last couple of weeks. On Tuesday 14, Southern Sudan Legislative Assembly (SSLA) - the region’s parliament - listened attentively to a submission by a minister accused by his cabinet colleague of contravening public service’s salaries and allowances rules and regulations, a sensitive issue which will determine the success of a public program being prepared by the regional government.

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High Pay Bill Expending

A week earlier, Mrs. Awut Deng, minister of Labor and Human Resource Development, was asked presented a report of the Cabinet on the status of pay bill spending which is consuming about 80% of the public expenditure of the nascent government, leaving too little money for service delivery and recovery from the aftermath of wars. With the government cycle, there is a growing realization that there is a need to cut down public service pay bill, introduce measures for better performance to deliver on the pledges which SPLM, the former rebel movement, had made to its large loyal constituents during the 22 years of struggle in the bush.

The ministry of Legal Affairs and Constitutional Development headed by Dr. Michael Makuei Lueth, the reports say, was not only paying higher salaries to ministry’s senior staff contrary to a unified public service salary structure, but had sent 22 students for undergraduate studies abroad with full salaries, scholarship costs and allowances. It is alleged that the undergraduate students sponsored by the concerned ministry hailed from the minister’s home area. Allegations against Dr. Michael docket seem to fit this description of corruption as perceived in the public mind.

Public Perception

In a recent survey report released by Southern Sudan Anti-Corruption Commission established to help deal with such issues, over 45% of the citizens sampled described abuse of office, diversion of public resources for personal gains and nepotism as the key elements defining corruptions among the power holders in Southern Sudan. Many common people claim they have seen or experienced some of corruption in their daily life, a scandal for a government led by a party espousing liberation ideas.

Who’s Role?

The cabinet meeting listened to Awut’s presentation but did not recommend what course of collective action to be taken by the President of South Sudan. Obviously, there are many interests and stakes within the cabinet that are afraid any decision taken will adversely affect credibility. On Friday 10 October the same cabinet passed two bills under the chairmanship of the reform minded president of South Sudan, Gen Salva Kiir Mayardit i.e. Anti-corruption and Human Rights Bills. It is expected that the parliament will pass them into law in their current session, thus preparing the reformers to bumps of the long road to combat entrenched mega-corruptions and abuses of human rights in South Sudan.

So, to break the stalemate, the parliament requested the minister of Labor and Human resource Development to bring the issue before the august House. Her report to the House was later, on October 13, followed by a submission by Dr. Lueth, a lawyer by profession, denying any wrong doing and repudiating Awuts claims. His line of argument was that, staff of his ministry, though under public service, is entitled to pay equal to that of those in the Judiciary. He went on to justify awarding scholarships to twenty two students claimed to be his relatives, by arguing that these scholarships were part of a wider capacity building scheme to assist former combatants who lost out on education during the 22 years of Sudan’s war. It was also alleged that about 90% of the 22 staff or law students he sent abroad for further studies were from “one community or village.”

After listening to his version of story, the parliament was split on what to do with this obviously critical issue, a test to government’s zero-tolerance of corruption declared in 2006. On group wanted the MPs to proceed listening to further submissions, deliberate on them and pass a ruling on the saga. Another, the majority in fact, voted for the deferment of the corruption charges to a specialized panel to come up with finding and recommendation within two-week time frame.

As the case keeps on moving from the cabinet to the legislature, then to a panel whose terms of references and powers are not strong enough, the public debates over corruption continued to generate more public outrage and demands for the parliament to pass the anti-corruption law as soon as possible. South Sudan Anti-corruption Commission says in the last three years alone, 1,400 cases corruption registered with them, awaiting the enactment of the Bill into law.