A member of the Transitional National Legislative Assembly (TNLA) has raised concerns regarding the opacity surrounding the recruitment of support staff at the parliament.
Reath Muoch Tang, an SPLM-IO Member of Parliament representing Upper Nile State, voiced his grievances during the TNLA session chaired by First Deputy Speaker Oyet Nathaniel Pierino on Wednesday. Tang emphasized the need for transparency and merit-based recruitment for the current support staff.
“Currently, there is ongoing staff recruitment within the parliament. I consider this as a form of corruption because specific individuals are handling it discreetly, and the public is unaware,” he said.
“I don’t need to personally recommend individuals due to my status as a member of parliament. Instead, the process should be made public, allowing educated South Sudanese youth to apply and be selected based on their qualifications. Some individuals are conducting this process discreetly within the parliament building itself. If we don’t address these issues internally, how can we hope to combat corruption?”He asked.
In response to Tang’s concerns, John Agany Deng, the Chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee for Information, denied the existence of any illegal recruitment process within the August House.
Deng asserted that the current recruitment followed the appropriate procedures, stating, “Let us not call it underground recruitment. It is recruitment, and we passed the law in this house last year, granting the assembly autonomy to appoint members to the civil service. We have passed that law in this house.”
He went on to say, “Regarding any prior arrangements, I remember that an announcement was made a few months ago, and I believe everyone had the chance to apply. If any actions have violated the law, they will be addressed through administrative procedures, but it’s important to note that these actions are not illegal. The resolution authorizing this process was passed in this house. If there are concerns about corruption in the recruitment of support staff, they should be formally raised through a substantive motion and put to a vote in the house.”
First Deputy Speaker Nathaniel chimed in, suggesting that if lawmakers believe the current recruitment process lacks transparency, they should bring the matter forward as a substantive motion in the house.
Nathaniel clarified, “The Parliamentary Service Commission has put in place a clear procedure that must be followed. If you have concerns about the ongoing recruitment, please bring them forward as a substantive motion, either by presenting it in the house or submitting it to our office. It will be thoroughly discussed within the Assembly Business Committee (ABC) to guarantee that the recruitment process for the TNLA or the Council of States is conducted on a national scale, is competitive, and maintains transparency.”
He concluded by advising, “This is a significant issue that I’ve encountered, both within the house and during my tenure in the office. To address it effectively, please present it as a substantive matter, formalize it in writing, obtain signatures from members, and it will be dealt with in an appropriate manner.”