New Lakes state cabinet sworn in without parliamentary approval
October 2, 2013 (RUMBEK) – Lakes state’s military caretaker governor Maj-Gen Matur Chuol Dhuol swore in his newly-appointed cabinet ministers on Wednesday in Rumbek without state assembly approval.
According to the policy of the ruling Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM), women are required to fill at least 35% of positions in parliament.
Meanwhile, Awerial and Wulu counties were also left without representation in the newly-appointed cabinet.
Lakes state parliament recently reopened after a forced six-month recess imposed in April by the military caretaker governor.
Dhuol allegedly feared that members he appointed for ministerial posts would be rejected by parliament during the vetting process.
On Monday, he advised lawmakers that he would shortly announce a new a cabinet, warning they would be sworn into office regardless of whether parliament endorsed his appointments.
An MP who requested anonymity said that Dhuol’s decision to act alone in swearing in the new cabinet without parliament approval was unlawful, adding that lawmakers plan to discipline the caretaker governor for undermining parliament.
Relatives of the appointed ministers, advisor and county commissioner were among those to attend the ceremony at the Lakes state secretariat premises.
However, media reports noted that Lakes state residents boycotted the event in large numbers.
This is not the first time Dhuol has disagreed with his state parliament. In March, the state legislative assembly received a strict letter of instruction from the military caretaker governor, asking lawmakers not to debate politics or make reductions in the 2012-2013 state budget.
The letter, which was addressed to the parliament’s speaker John Marik Makur, instructed lawmakers to reverse any previous changes made to the budgets.
“Whatever reason or reasons that have let the assembly to make these changes [to the budget] please stop them forthwith”, the letter read in part.
The letter was written after Dhuol became aware that the house had made some reductions and amendments to the 2013 budget.
“To be specific, I am told that the August house has reduced 289,407 SSP from the state house services budget and had added this amount to the state legislative assembly budget. I also understand that the assembly has also deducted 15,000 SSP from the secretariat general operating budget of 363,387 SSP and spread it as following: (1), 2,000 SSP to information, (2), 2,000 SSP to youth and sport and 11,000 SSP to yourself (LSLA services)”, the letter said.
They lawmakers disagreed with the governor and until now no budget has been passed and the government continues to operate without an approved budget.
Dhuol told MPs in January that part of his brief was to restore peace and security before the kick-off of the 2015 national elections. He warned against those pursuing a political agenda ahead of that time, saying there was “no room for politics [from] now until 2015”.
(ST)