Kiir vows to fight corruption in South Sudan government
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September 19, 2011 (JUBA) – The president of South Sudan, Salva Kiir,
has vowed to fight corruption in the government, nearly a month after
the formation of his first cabinet since the country’s independence on
9 July 2011.
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President of South Sudan, Salva Kiir (Reuters)
In a statement read on his behalf on Monday at a press conference held
by the vice president, Riek Machar he reiterated his commitment to
ensuring that South Sudan “enters a new era of good governance,
democracy, accountability and transparency.”
He was speaking hours after the President left Juba for New York to
attend a meeting of the UN General Assembly.
“I am committed to setting a new standard for transparency and
accountability in our public finances and in setting a new standard
for public officials. Beyond the 100 day action already launched, I
will take five critical steps as a visible sign of the new
government’s commitment,” read Machar.
Kiir said the cases of the diversion of funds will be investigated
including those on the “Dura [sorghum] saga” in which hundreds of
millions of dollars were looted through a false company contracted by
the ministry of finance to deliver dura to the ten states in 2008.
He added that other government contracts, particularly those on large
infrastructure projects, will be investigated and the results will be
made public. The President also acknowledged that there are concerns
about sales of land during the transitional period, saying these will
be reviewed and future land sales will be carefully regulated,
following new procurement legislation.
He said he has instructed the national parliament to enact laws on
accountability so that all government contracts as of now onwards will
“We will enforce the obligation of all public officials to publish
their income and financial assets. We will provide an opportunity of
an anonymous return account for civil servants and public officials to
return any diverted funds, obligating them to publish their assets
from the date of independence,” he added.
Kiir said he would seek the assistance of countries such as the
Switzerland, the US, the UK and Australia to recover and repatriate
diverted funds.
He said he will appoint senior advisers from the African region to the
Governor of the Central Bank of South Sudan, the Auditor General and
the Minister of Finance and Economic Planning and to strengthen the
anti-corruption commission.
Machar told journalists that an investigation has been carried out
into the arrest of UN personnel on 18 August by police in Juba.
He explained that the investigation, conducted under the chairmanship
of Gordon Micah Kur, deputy inspector general of South Sudan Police
Service, found a number of officers responsible for the unlawful
arrest.
He added that some of the officers have been suspended and others were
stripped of their ranks.
Machar said the government regretted the conduct and appealed to the
UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) to assist the newly independent
state in training the police in the area of respect for human rights.
At the meeting Barnaba Marial Benjamin, minister of information, said
he expects Kiir to meet the US president, Obama, during his visit to
the 66th meeting of the UN general assembly to discuss issues such as
poverty an terrorism.
South Sudan became the 193rd member of the UN on 15 July 2011, six
days after it became an independent state.
(ST)
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