Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Wani Yusuf
Published on 2024-03-03 06:14:43
The Sudan People’s Liberation Movement In-Opposition (SPLM-IO) has raised concerns regarding the recent Republican Order issued by the leadership of the SPLM-IG, which has led to the Ministry of Petroleum being stripped of its powers and functions as allotted to the SPLM-IO by the 2018 agreement. The Deputy Chairperson of the SPLM-IO, Oyet Nathaniel, expressed these grievances during a media address in Juba.
According to Oyet, the Republican Order dated January 31, 2024, titled “Separation of Powers and Functions of the Minister, the Undersecretary, and the Director General of Petroleum Authority,” has essentially undermined the authority of the Minister of Petroleum, thereby violating the Petroleum Act 2012. By transferring the powers of the minister to the undersecretary, the order obstructs the minister from carrying out his legal responsibilities and contravenes the Civil Service Act, which mandates the undersecretary to be accountable to the minister.
The 2018 Revitalised Agreement stipulates that a minister in the national government is to be the head of their ministry, with their decisions taking precedence. Oyet highlighted that the Republican Order was a misinterpretation and breach of constitutional articles. He emphasized that while the president has the authority to initiate reforms, such actions should be done in consultation with the first vice president and the other four vice presidents.
Oyet pointed out that the president made a unilateral decision without the necessary consultations, violating the terms of the agreement. He accused the Undersecretary of engaging in unauthorized international travel for business purposes, disregarding the authority of the minister by directly corresponding with foreign governments without permission.
Furthermore, Oyet underscored that the undersecretary, being a civil servant and not a member of the council of ministers, is accountable through the minister and cannot be summoned to parliament. The SPLM-IO is currently conducting investigations into the motivations behind the transfer of powers from the minister to the undersecretary.
In response to the Republican Order issued by President Kiir in January, which delineated the roles of the Ministry of Petroleum, the Undersecretary, and the Director General of the Petroleum Authority, the SPLM-IO political bureau has rejected the order and called for its reversal. The Order mandates the Minister to oversee treaties, supervise ministry activities, and engage in political roles, while assigning budgetary and administrative responsibilities to the Undersecretary.
The SPLM-IO remains steadfast in its efforts to address the infringement on the powers and functions of the Ministry of Petroleum and advocates for the adherence to the terms outlined in the 2018 agreement. The ongoing dispute highlights the challenges faced in maintaining the balance of power within the transitional government in South Sudan.
Read the original article on Talk of Juba
