Kiir instructed justice minister designate to approve $600m for land acquisition
August 12, 2013 (JUBA) – South Sudanese president Salva Kiir has accepted authorising his appointed justice minister, Telar Ring Deng, to approve $600 million on behalf of the government, apparently to acquire a land required for the national security services.
“The president has confirmed authorising Telar Riing Deng to act on behalf of the government. He has written to the committee and the team is studying the constitutionality of the authorisation because constitutional post holders including advisors are not supposed to be approving any money”, a member of the vetting committee told Sudan Tribune on Monday.
The lawmaker, who preferred anonymity, said the committee is in quest for more information to examine the authenticity of Deng’s academic credentials and competence for the key government position.
“Justice Minister should be someone not just high integrity, but someone knowledgeable, experienced and independent because he will be handling legal matters which would require honesty and fairness,” he stressed.
“This is why the committee is conducting thorough background check of Telar Deng,” he added. “The committee is not against him as a person”.
The 11-member select committee, the MP further said, sought to carry out more background check on the newly appointed minister allegedly because information on his personal resume does not reconcile with academic credentials.
“There is a disparity in the information on his Curriculum Vitae (CV). He told the committee that he has a law degree and had been a judge during a war in the SPLA liberated areas, but the academic documents show a degree of Arts. The documents also do not have dates on which the award was made. No transcript and other relevant information”, the legislator explained.
President Kiir has also asked public not to interfere with the vetting process, asserting it was following a system.
The president was reacting to claims that the chairperson of the committee, Abuk Payiti, a quiet but conservative lawmaker, held grudges against Justice minister designate, Telar Ring Deng and his deputy information and broadcasting counterpart, Rachael Nyadak Paul.
Members of the committee were, however, quick to dismiss the allegations, saying their chairperson was merely following the criteria set
The two form part of the new ministers Kiir appointed on 31 July. However, parliament has failed to approved them after it received a letter on 7 August from its select committee, which demanded “more information” before they are cleared.
“This is a system and must be respected. The committee should be allowed to do its work and see how they do it. Let people not interfere with their work”; Kiir told a group seeking influence to use his powers to allegedly bully members of parliament to clear the minister of justice.
NO ILL-INTENTIONS
Joseph Ngere Paciko, a member of the vetting committee said his team conducted assessment on the personal resume of individual appointees, interviewing them to assess the level of knowledge and other relevant information about their previous experiences and performances and ascertaining whether or not they are competent to deliver services to the people of South Sudan.
He said that the committee was neither holding grudges against individuals cabinet ministers nor influenced by anyone to target those in the vetting process but that it was doing its work based on criteria.
The committee, he said, had relied on the criteria used by the president to appoint his cabinet ministers and the Transitional Constitution of the Republic of South Sudan 2011.
Paciko said regulation 148 of the Conduct of Business Regulation 2011, gave powers to the speaker and members of the parliament to appoint a select committee.
“There were attempts to discredit the committee by claiming that it was biased because the chairperson of the committee Hon. Abuk Payiti was not neutral because she is holding grudges with the Minister of Justice because her husband, Dr. Peter Adwok Nyaba was one of the ministers dismissed by the president,” he explained.
Other theories went on further to suggest that members of the committee were influenced by some powerful former ministers to make sure that Telar was not sworn in as justice minister, he added.
He however dismissed as false allegation that the select committee members had been bribed to approve the vetting of the embattled justice minister.
The lawmaker, in an interview with Sudan Tribune, described the select committee chaired by Payiti as “a neutral and competent committee, whose members are all committed sons and daughters of the republic of South Sudan.”
The Committee has in its disposal the powers accorded to it in Article 57 (h) of the Transitional Constitution of the Republic of South Sudan, 2011.
“The committee was just performing its duties and exercising its mandate in accordance to the law. It is the prerogative of the Select Committee to investigate concerns raised against a candidate and clear them,” observed the lawmaker, who previously served as Western Equatoria state’s deputy governor.
The terms of reference of the select committee is the Conduct of Business Regulations, he added.
VETTING POSTPONED
Meanwhile, South Sudan’s parliament on Monday moved to a later date the tabling of the final parliamentary report vetting the appointment of the newly appointed justice minister as well as his information and broadcasting counterpart.
“The committee would not be able to present the report today [Monday] because we are conducting interviews with the other appointees who were not in the country. They came and the committee is still interviewing them,’’ Payiti told journalists at parliament.
PUBLIC REACTIONS
Jok Dut, native of Upper Nile State, commended the house for conducting an aggressive background check on Deng and asked the members not to approve his appointment saying the minister does not have the experience to hold the position.
“The minister of justice should be someone with legal background. It should not be filled by anybody because this is where laws of the country are drafted”, Bol told Sudan Tribune Monday.
Bol claimed that Telar will not independent as a justice minister because of his interests in the Dura saga.
“This guy (Telar) is not independent. He is now campaigning around telling community members from Bahr el Ghazal that he would block taking those who were involved in the Durra saga to court. This is why he wants to be appointed. He is not going to be an independent justice minister. The house should not therefore approve his appointment”, Bol further said.
But Mawien Garang Dut, a native Northern Bahr el Ghazal said it is relatives of corrupt ministers who are opposed to Deng’s appointment.
“Those who are against his appointment are relatives of those corrupt ministers. He is competent and also a freedom fighters. He fought for this country. He should be allowed to offer service,” Dut told Sudan Tribune.
(ST)