South Sudan’s parliament yesterday raised a motion to prohibit the purchase of V8 vehicles by public institutions.

SPLM member Zakaria Matur Makuer of Rumbek said Monday that a lot of public funds are being spent by government institutions every time there is a reshuffle.

"We cannot continue keeping our expenditure high at this time of economic crisis in the country," he said.

Matur said South Sudan is the number one importer of Toyota Land Cruiser V8 vehicles in the region, if not in the world. He said that V8 vehicles are very expensive to buy, run, and maintain.

“We are not running private companies or industries. We are running public institutions which are supposed to render services to our people," he said.

“Allow me to give you an example of how wasteful purchasing V8 vehicles by one public institution are. One vehicle costs 450,000 SSP which is more or less 125,000 US dollars. If we take the case of one institution, the national legislature alone that buys 36 V8s every new term, the total cost is 16,200,000 SSP or compute that into dollars and you get more or less the cost of building two diagnostic centers fully equipped to international standards of which our young nation is in dire need,” Matur said.

He lamented that it is important that the purchase of these types of vehicles be prohibited in the country to save money that will improve the conditions of roads, schools, and health and water infrastructure.

“This urgent matter be passed and this august house urges the executive branch of our government to prohibit the purchase of V8 vehicle by our public institutions. Less expensive vehicles can be used in our public institutions," he added.

The deputy speaker has referred the issue to the public accounts and finance committee to make more studies for further deliberation.

Photo courtesy Talk of Juba