By Isaiah Abraham
(Gurtong)-Few weeks ago the President of the Republic of South Sudan, His Excellency Gen. Salva Kiir Mayardit issued Presidential decree RSS/PD/J/56/2011 relieving Dr. Pauline Riak as Head of the Anti-Corruption and appointed in her place Judge Gatwech Lul of the High Court. Dr. Pauline was appointed in that position as Chairperson of the body (Anti Corruption Commission) in 2006 and before her watch she managed to establish the Anti-Corruption body or structure, and policy and had made huge ground in the media educating the public about the vice.
During her tenure however there have been scandals after scandals some of which she had no control as she operated with no clear cut legal powers to prosecute and with little backing or political will from the top. She ended up groaning privately and at last went public, a frustrating move that is believed to have landed her in trouble.
But Dr. Pauline removal contravene law governing that institution as came in the Transitional Constitution of the Republic of South Sudan Chapter III, 143 (2) and (3) part of which says, "They {Commissioners including the Chair}may not be removed from Office except with the approval of the National Assembly by a two thirds majority of all members". This statement is clear and Mr. President should not have gone ahead and removed Dr. Pauline before Parliament gives a go ahead.
Sincerely, Dr. Pauline had done what she supposed to do there opposed to what others would want us believe. She had traveled extensively to many countries for relevance experiences to gain and apply in our context in the fight against corruption. By removing her, I have a feeling that the fight against corruption is thereafter sacrifice on the altar of myopic and protective shells, the very situations which have docked Kiir administration from day one. I fear now than any other time before that we are going to lose our glorious moments of putting in place hospitals, schools and roads. Mr. Kiir is scoring zero there, a scenario attributed to sitting ducks, leaders who don't see or act. I hereby seriously look forward for Parliament to keep him at bay. He has failed and he got to let himself be helped.
Though Gatwech Lul is a lawyer with reputable background, there are no assurances that he will deliver where Dr. Pauline failed. In fact Dr. Pauline never failed, she was made to fail by non other than those around the President and the president himself.
Our leader wants to be a priest, alas there are no priests that are presidents. Managers aren't good priests. We have been calling him Joshua and rightfully so, but Israelis arrival into the Promised Land was an end in itself, someone was to fight Hittites, Jubisittes, Ammonites etc. Gideon did that job perfectly. As things stand, we have "Hittites" and "Ammonites" in the form of corruption and tribal, enemies Kiir has shown again and again that he can't overcome them.
May be time is on the offing when we must give Joshua a marching order in 2013 when SPLM Convention convenes. Mr. President you made as many promises as I couldn't recall them all, and non of them has so far been executed. Politics aside, we want services and this will only come when GXR cars given to cronies and friends are stopped from being procured using public funds. That is corruption and if not what is it?!
Look, in 2008, the war on corruption was a subject matter, The case in point is the financial scam in in the period between 2006 and 2007 related to purchase of government vehicle under former Finance Minister Hon. Arthur Akuien Chol. There was a strong case to be answered and someone in charged must be made to account. The legal man then Hon. Michael Makuei arrested the Minister after his immunity was removed by the President after heated pressure, but unfortunately armed youth reported to be from Aweil (the very place where Minister Akuein hails from) stormed the prison with guns and removed him. No action was taken and someone at the top still has the guts to tell the people of his zero tolerance to corruption, what a pity. The arrest of Mr. Akuein was an initiative from Dr. Pauline, a signal that could have proven that the big man at the top is serious about corruption.
Please men and women in the House, throw out Kiir nominee and let Dr. Pauline continue at her job. Give her teeth (prosecution powers) and stand with her to start questioning even big fish near the corridor of power. If you allow his ways, forget about corruption fight, Gatwech is a weak character. He never prosecuted a chicken while serving as a High Court Judge under Khartoum.