Central Equatoria State Ministers of Finance, Planning, and Investment, Viana Kakuli Agrey, and Cabinet Affairs Minister, Wayi Godwill, faced questions in the state parliament on Wednesday regarding a proposal to exchange land for vehicles.
The state legislative assembly had summoned Finance Minister Kakuli on August 23, 2023, to address concerns about the alleged unauthorized disposal of government land, specifically plot No. 64, block AX111 in Hai Malakal, in exchange for five Toyota hardtop vehicles and a sum of USD 100,000 for the completion of the ministry’s office block.
Minister Kakuli defended herself, stating, “The letter I wrote to H.E. the governor Emmanuel Adil Anthony seeking permission to dispose of the ministry’s plot followed the normal bureaucratic procedures for handling public documents. It was not illegal as described on social media. Someone in good faith or maliciously decided to post it on social media, leading to my summons to the House.”
Kakuli emphasized that her intention was to use the land, which is public property, for the development of the ministry, also a public office. She stated, “The plot of land in question is a public asset, and the intention to dispose of it was for the purpose of purchasing public assets and developing a public asset, which is the ministry building. This should not have become an issue.”
Lawmakers raised questions about why the Ministry of Finance, Planning, and Investment would barter trade the land for vehicles when the vehicles were not included in the annual budget.
Minister Kakuli clarified, “This is in fulfilment of the ministry’s plan to procure vehicles as provided for in Code 282 of the ministry’s budget for the fiscal year 2022/2023.” She cited various challenges in the state that had strained financial resources, leading to the need for alternative means of acquiring the intended vehicles.
Minister Kakuli concluded by informing the parliament that since the leak of her letter on social media, no further action had been taken regarding the land exchange proposal.
Cabinet Affairs Minister Wayi Godwill explained that Minister Kakuli, in her capacity as the chair of the economic cluster, had the mandate to write directly to the governor. He stated, “The Ministerial Code of Conduct of Business of the Government of Central Equatoria State provides for the establishment of three Ministerial Clusters, namely, Governance, Economics, and Service. These clusters are chaired by the Hon. Ministers of Cabinet Affairs, Finance, Planning, and Investment, and that of Labor, Public Service, and Human Resource Development, respectively.”
According to Wayi, “Each of these Clusters has sittings in which they make recommendations either to His Excellency, the Governor or Cabinet for decision. As the Chair of the Ministerial Economic Cluster and Head of the Ministry of Finance, Planning, and Investment, Minister Kakuli can submit certain memos directly to the Governor for a decision.”
In response to the ministers’ statements, Central Equatoria State Legislative Assembly Speaker Peter Wani Kulang formed a select committee headed by the chairperson of the legislative committee to investigate whether Finance Minister Kakuli followed the correct procedures. The committee will report its findings to the state legislators within 14 days.