S. Sudan parliament defers approving new cabinet after failing to reach consensus
August 2, 2013 (JUBA) – The South Sudanese parliament convened a special session on Friday to vet and approve the new cabinet, but decided to reschedule the process after failing to reach a consensus on some of the candidates put forward.
There were also calls for the provision of personal resumes and mandatory background checks of appointed cabinet members to be vetted by the house before final approval.
“We support the president in the reduction of the size of the government. We would appreciate if the president extends [this] reduction to the commissions. There are commissions which have similar functions. The president should go further and reduce them to at least three commissions”, Anyoti Adigo, the leader of minority group in the parliament, told reporters.
Adigo called on the president to extend his decision to the ministry, where advisory positions have been created despite there already being enough qualified people to run the institutions effectively.
“We expect the president to go to the ministries and remove those advisors. I don’t know what they advise while there are already technical people there. You have the under-secretary, the director general and directors of departments. These are people who have knowledge, perfect skills and experiences. Why again appoint advisors who actually do not [have] the knowledge, lack experience and skills to advise”, Adigo said.
“This is just a waste of public resources. They should be removed so that these funds given to them can be used to support development projects”, he added.
He said the house had decided to postpone vetting and approval of the new cabinet as the house needs more time to obtain clear information and background checks about individual members appointed to the government by the president.
“This is a constitutional mandate of the parliament and this is why the session has been adjourned”, the minority leader stressed.
South Sudan president Salva Kiir on Wednesday issued a decree appointing 18 cabinet ministers and 10 deputies, a week after he dissolved his entire government.
The president, in several decrees announced, left unoccupied the position of the vice-president as well as minister for the presidency.
Several new faces were elevated to cabinet in the 31 July decree, issued under Article 112 (1) and 117(1) of the Transitional Constitution of the Republic of South Sudan.
The president said he chose this moment to restructure his government and lay the groundwork for a lean and stronger cabinet, comprising 29 ministers and their deputies.
“This downsizing will create synergies, allow budgets to flow to high priority development projects and also allow for better management by dedicated civil servants,” party reads Kiir’s statement extended to Sudan Tribune.
WOMEN PROTEST
Meanwhile, a women’s parliamentary caucus group expressed strong concerns over the appointment of the new cabinet, claiming the ruling Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) had failed to fulfill a commitment to promote women’s participation in decision making processes at the highest levels.
“We feel that the appointment did not reflect well on the political will and commitment of the SPLM and our government to promote women participation the decision making positions. There are only two women as full ministers and three deputies”, said Mary Nyaulang.
The lawmaker said her group feels under-represented and called on the president to honour his government’s commitment to affirmative action by appointing at least two additional women to the cabinet before it is endorsed by the house.
NEW VICE PRESIDENT
Another concern is the rare delay in appointing a new Vice President to fill the shoes of the former long term Kiir’s deputy, Riek Machar Teny.
Speculations suggest that the current speaker, James Wani Igga, will take over the seat once he has made sure the current national appointees are vetted in parliament. John Luk Jok, former minister of Justice, is expected to become the new speaker of parliament.
The SPLM MPs caucus will sit to consult on Saturday in order to reach a common position in parliament as some criticize these choices for the two positions.
FULL LIST OF NEW CABINET MINISTERS
– Barnaba Marial Benjamin – Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation
– Martin Elia Lomoro – Cabinet affairs
– Kuol Manyang Juuk – Defense and Veteran Affairs
– Telar Ring Deng – Justice
– To be appointed – Office of President
– Obuto Mamur Mete – Office of the President for National Security Service
– Aleu Ayeny Aleu- Interior and Wildlife Conservation
– Aggrey Tisa Sabuni– Finance, Commerce and Economic Planning
– Kuong Danhier Gatluak – Labor, Public Service and Human Resource Development
– Michael Makuei Lueth– Information, Broadcasting and Telecommunication and Postal Services
– Riek Gai Kok– Health
– Beda Machar Deng – Agriculture, Forestry, Tourism and Animal Resources, Cooperatives and Rural Development
– John Gai Yoh – Education, Science and Technology
– Jemma Nunu Kumba – Land, Housing and Physical Planning
– Abdalla Deng Nhial – Electricity, Dams, Irrigation and Water Resources
– Simon Majok Mijak – Transport, Roads and Bridges
– Stephen Dhieu Dau – Petroleum, Mining and Environment
– Ngor Kulang – Culture, Youth and Sport
– Awut Deng Acuil– Gender and Social Development
DEPUTY/ASSISTANT MINISTERS
– Paulino Wanawilla Unango – Justice
– Jadada Augustino Wani – Interior and Wildlife Conservation
– Mary Jarvas Yak – Finance, Commerce and Economic Planning
– Kengen Jakor- Finance, Commerce and Economic Planning
– Rebecca Joshua Okwaci – Information, Broadcasting, Telecommunications and Postal Services
– Nadia Arop Dudi – Agriculture, Forestry, Tourism and Animal Resources, Cooperatives and Rural Development
– Bol Makueng – Education, Science and Technology
– Deng Arop Kuol – Land, Housing and Physical Planning
– Martin Daku- Transport, Roads and Bridges
– Elizabeth James Bol – Petroleum, Mining and Environment
(ST)