South Sudan parliament summons governor over women’s quota
By Isaac Vuni
August 1, 2007 (JUBA, Sudan) — The Southern Sudan Legislative Assembly (SSLA) has, today, passed a motion demanding Governor Aloisio Emor Ojetuk of Eastern Equatoria state to appear before the lawmakers to answers questions why women are not represented in his cabinet and horrendous security situation in state.
The SSLA deputy speaker said the summon will be send through GoSS minister of Legal Affairs and Constitutional Development who is the official Attorney General of the government of Southern Sudan.
The important and urgent matter was tabled to the legislative house by MP Theophilus Ochang of Torit constituency and the part read; “In view of the serious situation in Eastern Equatoria state, I petition the august house to adopt recommendations to summon Governor of Eastern Equatoria to answer questions why women are not represented in his cabinet. Horrendous security situation in Eastern Equatoria state where within seven months over 100 people were innocently killed as others much more are not recorded; and why governor has inclined to tribalism by appointing four ministers plus an advisor from his ethnic tribe than balancing ethnicity in the state.”
The important and urgent matter also demand all men who are occupying women seat to vacate them in a fair transparent manner while women coming to assume their seats are to be subjected to nomination through communities consultations of chiefs, elders, women and youth representatives to choose candidates of their own choice.
Contributing to the debate, MP Rebecca Mabior said it was ashamed to see the cabinet line-up of an SPLM governor who knew the policy of SPLM/A very well to undermined women representation in his cabinet. Madame Mabior revealed that women of Bor were the first lot to join SPLM/A in large number followed by women of Eastern Eqatoria state while the first women who shed blood in frontline comes from western Equatoria state.
Meanwhile the minister of parliamentary affairs, Gabriel Changson Chang said out of the ten states of southern Sudan, only states of western Bahr el Ghazal and Lakes are the one who have fulfilled the 25% of women representation at all levels of government.
According to Ochang, there is no a single women in the cabinet of governor Ojetuk and gave the cabinet lists thus; Governor comes from Torit county-Latuka, minister of finance comes from Torit county-Latuka, minister of education comes from Torit county-Latuka, Minster of physical infrastructure comes from Torit County-Latuka, minister of local government comes from Kapoeta south county-Toposa, minister of information and communication comes from Ikwoto county-lango, minister of agriculture comes from Magwi county-Acholi, minister of social development comes from Budi county -Buya, minister of health comes from Kapoeta east-Toposa, Advisor on Security comes from Torit county- Latuka, advisor on administration comes from Magwi county-Madi and advisor on political affairs comes from Kapoeta county-Toposa.
The number of lawmakers who passed the important and urgent matter were 72, those against were 18 while those undecided MPs were 18. Present numbers of MPs in the hall were 99 out of which 16 got permission and nine were on assignment of the specialized committee of the assembly.
(ST)