Lakes parliament speaker warns state’s govt to cooperate
By Manyang Mayom
September 12, 2007 (RUMBEK) — In Press conference held yesterday at Lakes State Legislative Assembly, the Speaker of Lakes State Legislative Assembly, Isaiah Alier Machinkon, warned the entire Executive to cooperate with Lakes State parliament.
Machinkon said that the Assembly is conferred the right to summon, move a vote of no confidence and dismiss any constitutional post holders and Senior Directors who do not pay adherence to the rule of law.
The Lakes speaker is alluding here to the silent crisis between the state parliament and the government since the impeachment vote by the assembly against the minister of finance, Philip Marol Mading on 22 August.
Despite the removal resolution by the parliament, the governor, Daniel Awet Akot, still maintains the minister in post. A high ranking official told Sudan Tribune that state government considers that the parliament has no authority to relieve a minister who is named by the president of southern Sudan government. So, the state parliament resolution is submitted to the president Salva Kiir Mayadrit for consideration.
“In reference to the motion raised against the minister of Finance, Trade and Industry and passed with the consequential impeachment of the said minister by unanimous votes there is no way any body is to influence or alter that decision.” Machinkon said.
The press conference was attended by Acting Governor and Minister for Local Government Law and Enforcement Agency, Awan Guol Riak, all Lakes State advisors, and ministers plus Lakes State intellectuals.
The Lakes state parliament, following the recommendations of investigation committee on the activities of the finance minister, said he shifted the budget line items without the authorization of the assembly. Aslo, the legislators enumerated some violations related to the misuse of public funds
(ST)
Below the text of the speech of the Lakes sate speaker:
Lakes State Assembly – Rumbek
Speech by the Speaker, regarding the Impeachment of the Minister of Finance, Trade and Industry – Lakes State.
11 September 2007
Honourable Members of Lakes State Legislative Assembly, the recent report from the leaders of your specialized committees were very impressive. Although there are problems, that may exist, there are some of the things to be hurdled by us in this house.
Your Excellencies, Honourable members of this August House, Chiefs Honourable guests, Ladies and Gentlemen. We are honored by your presence here today to come and hear the press release from the speaker of this house. Than you very much fir having turned up to listen to this correction speech. We call this speech so because we want to correct ourselves in the Executive, Judiciary, Parliament and in our various parties.
Constructively this House has been deliberating on its agenda since its inspection but initially we lacked the modern coverage of our sitting and that is why you never heard all that we did. Mindfully your House has been consciously moving slow but sure on its path. It’s beginning now to inch its steps forward. Never doubt its slow motion. It’s staggering movements shall eventually smoothen your rough roads. The motto is slow but sure.
Your Excellencies, Honourable members and the community of Lakes State, as our late hero Dr. John Garang de Mabior said before his death, that we are to read, understand and own the CPA, likewise we are also required to read, understand and own the three constitutions of our country which are the derivatives of the CPA. In conformity with the above mentioned documents the Assembly is mandated to exercise its functions without fear or favour and with all the rights stipulated by the constitution. The Assembly is conferred the right to summon, move a vote of no confidence and dismiss any constitutional post holders and Senior Directors who do not pay adherence to the rule of law.
In reference to the motion raised against the minister of Finance, Trade and Industry and passed with the consequential impeachment of the said minister by unanimous votes there is no way any body is to influence or alter that decision. However, we wish him very other opportunities within our demanding and developing part of the country.
For the public to note, the Deputy Speaker in his capacity as the Acting Speaker a very has a legal right to endorse what is passed by the Assembly. So nobody is to be blamed when exercising his or her functions lawfully.
Your Excellencies, Honourable members and the public of Lakes State, this House shall not be continuously sidelined, unsubordinated, coerced, belittled and implicated. This House has a full mandate to check every step of government.
Note that we have the SPLM membership from all the counties and others seven parties in the Assembly and all are indigenous Citizens from this state. Any aversive performance of each member will be checked by the Assembly and the community or party of each one. So each member is accountable to his or her community or the party that nominated him or her.
Constitutionally the government has its three pillars, the Executive, the Legislature and the judiciary. Any of the parties should not make itself as the forth pillar, there is no way for accepting this, otherwise that particular party shall be labeled as confusingly meddling itself in the affairs of the three pillars of the government and the House shall not only point the finger at it but exercise the use of law, because this shall be deemed as a gross violation of the legal document/laws.
Your Excellencies, this House has been persistently talking of cooperation and teamwork within the state. That has to be a slogan for the achievement of our development. So let us accept and respect each other and work for the welfare of our communities.
Your Excellencies, Honourable members and judicial body, please let us give chances to each of the three pillars in order to exercise its appropriate functions. The days of the rules if survival are gone. We have conventional rules of law established by the CPA and the constitutions. So do not let us deviate. Allow the parliament to exercise its functions up to the limits of its mandate. Why we say that this, we have registered so many violations which are in our records. But because the government of our state was at its embryonic stage we couldn’t vigorously check on its performances.
In conclusion, this House is reminding all of us to keep to the laws in our books. The CPA, the three constitutions and the other relevant documents. We can not throw our hands in the air in a defeatist manner and say that this is impossible. We can not a long way to go. Administration and management of human beings are very tedious processes. That have no end and they demand a lot of efforts. So let us all abide by the law and we shall see our successes.
Thank very much
Honourable Isaiah Alier Machinkok
Speaker Lakes State Legislative Assembly.
Government of South Sudan.
– Cc: H.E. Governor of Lakes State
– All the Ministers and Advisors
– All the Assembly members.