South Sudan’s ruling party forms ethics committee
December 10, 2011 (JUBA) – South Sudan’s ruling Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) on Saturday said it has formed a new organ to take over from its Moral Committee. It is understood the move is enable to the party to take more effective and timely action against the party members accused of misconduct.
Anne Itto, the Deputy Secretary General of the ruling party, explained in an internal report dated 7 December that the proposed Control and Disciplinary Committee would have a mandate to determine disciplinary cases with consultation from the SPLM’s powerful political bureau.
“We have already proposed the structure of the new organ. It will give ruling[s] on sensitive, disciplinary and financial issues, including corruption charges against our members,” she noted.
The committee will comprise of 15 members and will be led by the party’s Vice- Chairman for organisation and political affairs, James Wani Igga, who is also the speaker of the South Sudan’s parliament.
The SPLM’s Secretary General Pagan Amum “will automatically become a member”, according to the internal report.
Itto, whose report did not disclose the names of the other 13 members, was optimistic that members of the committee will be decided and announced after the SPLM’s political bureau of the party meets before the end of the year.
Many view the formation of the new committee as internal response to a growing pressure on the leadership of the former rebel movement turned ruling party in South Sudan to reorganise itself in order to pave the way for internal reform and fight corruption. Others view it as another political strategy to silence internal critics.
In November, General Salva Mathok Gengdit, who holds a membership at the National Liberation Council besides his current position as Deputy interior minister, petitioned the Secretary General over the dwindling popularity of the ruling party in the states where chairpersons are based in Juba rather than the region they are representing.
He recommended removal of Tor Deng Mawien of Warrap, General Mark Nyibuoc of Western Bahr el Ghazal, Jemma Nunu Kumba of Western Equatoria, Joseph Monytuil of Unity State and Daniel Awet Akot of Lakes State, allof whom also hold positions at the national level, which requires them to be in the capital.
Some of the members hold ministerial positions, while others serve at parliamentary or advisory levels at the central government leaving little time for party activities in their various states.
Mathok made the appeal following circulation of reports suggesting formation a committee to investigate the alleged corrupt activities of 13 senior members of the ruling party.
In her report, Itto said the new organ should look for evidence into SPLM member accused of graft that implicate some members, adding that justice should prevail and suspects should be given a right to defend themselves against any allegations of wrong-doing.
“As leaders, we are serious but also careful in dealing with corruption allegations in the party as well as the government,” she said while explaining that the party was contemplating adopting a system whereby any member accused of any wrong doing should be given a priority to explain himself or herself to the party before being facing a public court.
She hoped that the move would build confidence among the members in the party, adding that other countries like South Africa have adopted the system.
It is unclear whether the new committee will undermine the South Sudan Anti- Corrupton Commission (SSACC), which has failed to prosecute a single official in the country in over 5 years.
(ST)