South Sudan’s National Legislative Assembly has questioned Cabinet Affairs Minister Martin Elia Lumuro over the whereabouts of millions of South Sudanese pounds allocated to the Crisis Management Committee.
The Crisis Management Committee was a body created by presidential decree after the start of the civil war in December 2013. In government accounts, the Committee fell under the Office of the President.
Radio Miraya reported today that Martin Elia Lomuro has declined to respond to questions about unaccounted funds of the Crisis Committee on the grounds that he was not the chairman of the committee and was not responsible for the funds.
The committee was chaired by Vice President James Wani Igga.
Parliament’s Information Committee Chairman Thomas Wani Kundu says the assembly wants to know how the money allocated to the committee was spent.
“It is important because the money was approved by this House. And any money approved … the house must know how this was used. The person responsible over that money is accountable to this house. That is the meaning,” he told Radio Miraya.
“That was a lot money allocated to CMC… millions of South Sudanese pounds approved. You see it was a lot of money.”
Published finance ministry documents for the fiscal year 2013/2014 have given conflicting information about the amount spent by President Kiir’s office and the Committee, which fell under his office. One document said the Committee spent 238.4 million South Sudanese pounds.
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Photo: Martin Lomuro (right)
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