It is unfortunate the world’s newest independent country, South Sudan, has learned the ropes of Africa’s greatest enemy to development – corruption – too soon.
According to President Silva Kiir, 75 Government officials and individuals close to it have stolen Sh343 billion ($4 billion) of public money by skimming off oil revenue and through a 2009 scandal in which billions of dollars worth of grain were ordered but not delivered.
South Sudan is barely a year old and corruption of this magnitude shouldn’t be heard here.
Kiir wrote to the 75 giving them an amnesty to return the loot. His assertion that, “People in South Sudan are suffering and yet some Government officials simply care about themselves” are just painful. In his letter, Kiir seems to understand well that the funds have been deposited in foreign accounts or bought properties.
Of course no one expects the country to be immune to corruption, but this has come too soon. It is simply unfortunate.
With oil production shut down due to a row with Sudan – and no oil revenue sharing deal yet on the table for when production eventually restarts – South Sudan is the midst of an economic crisis that corruption threatens to exacerbate. Moreover, corruption and a general lack of transparency have made the prospect of getting international loans a tricky business.
Worst corruption
Corruption appears to be so deep in South Sudan that even top officials in the anti-corruption commission have been accused of it. Earlier this year, allegations of nepotism and abuse of power were raised against former commission head Pauline Riak, and, according to the Sudan Tribune, her successor, Supreme Court judge John Gatwech Lul, was accused of conspiring against her.
Both have denied the charges, and no South Sudanese official has been prosecuted since the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement came to power there in 2005.
I agree with Kiir when he says, “The credibility of our Government is on the line” because after so many years of fighting for freedom, justice and equality – where many Sudanese died to achieve these objectives – those who made it to power have forgotten what they fought for and began to enrich themselves at the expense of the nation.
South Sudan split from the north last July, taking three-quarters of Sudan’s oil fields with it. Before production shut down, oil accounted for 98 per cent of its revenue.
Corruption will surely ruin the prospects of the 11-month-old nation which remains one of world’s poorest and least developed.
Amnesty window
In an attempt to alleviate the current financial burden, President Kiir is offering the 75 accused officials amnesty if they return the money, and also promised to keep their identities a secret. But he has also sicced his watchdogs on officials and their foreign bank accounts. In late May, the six-year-old anti-corruption commission said it recovered about Sh5 billion of stolen public money during an operation that resulted in the dismissal of a number of State employees.
It is time Kiir’s anti-corruption agency made it clear to all that no one should think he or she can steal public funds and run away with it. It must also make it simply impossible by sealing all loopholes.
Kiir should also explore avenues of recovering all the ‘dirt’ money stashed outside the country whether in Africa or outside the continent.
It is encouraging to learn that he has written to eight foreign governments in Africa, Europe, the Middle East and the United States seeking their assistance in recovering all funds believed to have been misappropriated by former and current officials.
It is also time the rest of Africa embraced true fight against corruption because misappropriation of public funds has proved an enemy of development and the cause of human suffering.
African governments should move from mere promises on empowering anti-corruption agencies and acted rightly because only commitment to zero tolerance to corruption will help tame the dragon. All such agencies should be granted power to prosecute those implicated in corruption.
{Daniel T, Via Email}
Don’t overstretch teachers’ patience
Enrolment in public schools has shot up since the introduction of free and subsidised education.
Many have benefited from this noble initiatives that have seen the number of school dropouts come down. Many can now access basic education no matter their background is.
Understandably, the Government has faced a lot of challenges in ensuring an uninterrupted running of the programmes.
However, with the current hardships that the Government is facing, it has become difficult to finance the programme and teachers have threatened to down their tools if money meant for running free primary education is not released by tomorrow.
As if that is not enough, publishers and booksellers, too, have threatened to stop supplying stationery to schools due to unpaid bills.
Explore alternatives
But who is to blame for all this? Is it the Government or are teachers and other stakeholder becoming non-considerate?
To me, both are to blame. On one side, the Government failed to plan earlier for the funds to be disbursed on time to ensure learning process is not disrupted. And having known the Government’s weakness, teachers would be unfair to learners to go on strike.
We should learn to pardon the Government when it bends a little. We do not need to completely push it to the limits.
As pupils are preparing for the national exams, the strike will only destabilise them. School administrators should exhaust all alternatives before resorting to strikes.
For instance, those supplying basic commodities to schools should do so in debts as they wait for the Government to release the funds.
Certainly, the Government will eventually release the funds.
Meanwhile, the Government should quickly release funds to ensure learning is not paralysed. It should not be waiting for strikes or strike threats to act. It shouldn’t be seen to test teachers’ patience.
{Samwel Born Maina, Kisii}
Tribal politics still our major undoing
I am used to Kenyan politics of my tribe and less interested in addressing any matter tribal since Kenyans have proved to be more tribal than they are religious.
No wonder a Felista Wabukala from Bungoma (The Standard, June 6) found it wise to provide tribal advice to Justice minister Eugene Wamalwa. According to Wabukala, should Wamalwa go against Musalia Mudavadi wave in Western Province then the minister will be forced into political oblivion! What a joke!
It is laughable when the writer calls the ‘Luhya vote for and with Mudavadi’ a political tsunami. It is regreattble we continue to discuss tribal politics when we should have moved to issue-based politics. This is retrogresive.
Why should we vote for Mudavadi because he’s joined a group opposed to another aspirant? We should consider the package he has for Kenya and future. Our future lies in progressive leadership.
{Abdallah Kassim, Via Email}
MRC outrageous demands treason
The Mombasa Republican Council has valid grievances, but we should not ignore the fact that any secessionist act is treasonable. It is an extreme act against one’s sovereign or nation.
MRC has been very unreasonable in threatening our sovereignty by demanding that the Coast region seceded from Kenya. The demands are no different from the recent claims that the Migingo and Ugingo islands were not part of Kenya.
The implications of secession are grave to any country’s economic, social and political environment and that is the main reason why such acts are considered treasonable.
Politicians trying to woo MRC members for votes with a promise to deliver on the outrageous demands, should be branded as a collaborators and coconspirators to treason.
{John Abuok, Via Email}
Bravo professionals!
The Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Kenya and the Law Society of Kenya have stepped up the fight against corruption.
ICPAK has said members found to have conspired in the theft of NHIF money will be deregistered. LSK said it will invite the public to participate in vetting of all political aspirants unfit to hold office. They’ll move to court to enforce Chapter Six of the Constitution.
We now expect other professional bodies to rise to the occasion and do their bit and help end impunity.
{Kariuki Muiri, Karatina}
