Anxiety looms over the fate of under-secretaries in new cabinet
August 2, 2013 (JUBA) – Concerns have emerged over the fate of senior government officials, who previously served in various ministries, which have now been either abolished or merged after South Sudan president Salva Kiir issued a decree dramatically reducing ministerial posts.
In a surprise move, Kiir, issued a number decrees on 22 July removing his long-time deputy, Riek Machar Teny and dissolving the entire cabinet.
He also ordered the suspension of the secretary-general of his ruling Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM), Pagan Amum, pending an investigation into his conduct.
No immediate appointments were made until 31 July, when the president announced the line-up of his new cabinet, which drew mixed reactions from South Sudanese citizens more accustomed to seeing officials suspected of involvement in financial scandals and rights abuses returning to key positions of power.
In an interview with Sudan Tribune on Friday, Santino Deng, an official at the former ministry of trade, commerce and industry which has now been abolished and its functions assumed by other ministries, expressed concern over his fate and that of his colleagues.
“There is confusion at the moment. People don’t know where they will go. Our former ministry has been abolished. The department of commerce has been taken to the ministry of finance. The industry has been taken to the ministry of petroleum and mining, but [the] investment department did not appear anywhere. It looks like it has been thrown away and the fate of those who were working in this department remains unclear”, said Deng.
He said staff members from other ministries which have been abolished are also unsure after their future status.
As part of Kiir’s cabinet reshuffle, the number of ministries has been trimmed from to 58 to 29 in total.
While the number of under-secretaries remains unchanged, some will now be merged into other ministries as heads of department.
“The fate of senior officers under the under-secretaries is also unclear and it remains to be seen whether they will be re-deployed to other departments and which positions and titles they will hold”, said Deng.
(ST)