JUBA—The national parliament on Monday blocked a lawmaker’s motion for the house to summon Vice President for Economic Cluster Dr. Benjamin Bol Mel over the dire economic crises facing the country and mismanagement of oil revenue.
Hon. Machok Majongjong, representing Constituency No. 7, Gogrial West, Warap State, stood up at the onset of a session to encourage the parliament to grill Vice President Bol over the liquidity crises, failure to pay salaries, and alleged mismanagement of resources.
“He (VP Bol Mel) is a chairperson of the economic cluster. The country is facing difficulties, economic difficulties. There is no money in the bank,” Machok said.
“He has lied before the people of South Sudan, saying that on the 24th of every month, he is going to pay the salaries to the people of South Sudan. And yet, we have not seen anything happening.”
Hon. Machok also said that “there is a lot of mismanagement” of oil revenue during its sale to the international market, while disclosing that he has documents to prove the embezzlement allegations.
“I have the classic documents with me. I am not talking just out of the blue. I have concrete information from the off-takers and even from upstream, from the Minister of Petroleum,” he stated.
But before he could finish his speech, Acting Speaker Rt. Hon. Pamela Awerial interrupted him midway, stating that he had to cease his address without clear reason.
Machok insisted that he had every right to highlight the situation and even tried to quote a clause in the parliament’s rules and regulations mandating him to raise such a motion.
“So, I am going to read the article that gives me power to do that. Let me bring the attention to the people, because I have the right, because I was informed by the Speaker that your motion is rejected.”
But Hon. Awerial shut him down: “Order. Order.Order!” And the argument continued.
Machok: “Honourable Speaker, this is… Honourable Speaker, can you just listen to me? I want to read Article 82 to bring attention to the House. Let me read it. With your permission, let me read it.” Why are you refusing your own law?
Awerial: “Order. Order. Order. Honourable, Honourable, can you listen to me? You keep quiet. You sit down, all of you. Honourable Machok has a right to raise that one, and he has to be answered. The reason why I am saying that is he has a right to raise it; if he has raised it, it is the Chair, the Speaker, to answer him.”
Awerial: “No, no, you sit down. The point of why I am saying that is that Honorable Machok raised this as information. And I would like to answer him that the information that you raised was presented to ABC, and the resolution of ABC is that you will be served when the Right Honourable Speaker comes.”
Machok: “No, no. not information. I talked to her yesterday. I talked to her before she travelled.”
Awerial: “Honorable, can you just listen to me? So, when the Right Honourable Speaker comes, because all the resolutions passed by ABC are signed by the Speaker. And when they are signed by the Speaker, they will be out for public consumption. So when the Speaker comes, you will be served with a copy, and then you can raise your issue, what you want to say.”
Machok: “Let me complete my argument. Let me make it very clear because I have a right. Let me read the law.”
Awerial: “No. Honourable Machok, you just respect the Chair. Just leave it. Wait. She will come the next day, after two days. When she comes, you will be served with a copy. And that will be good for you. I have said that. No more to be said. You wait for the Honorable Speaker. Thank you very much for respecting the House.”