The Sudan People’s Liberation Movement in-Opposition (SPLM-IO) Parliamentary Caucus has rejected a recommendation by a parliamentary committee that the governor of Western Equatoria State be suspended over corruption allegations.
The Transitional National Legislative Assembly (TNLA) on Tuesday discussed a report presented by a seven-member ad hoc committee which was formed and tasked to investigate the issue of the salary arrears of the defunct states of Western Equatoria. The committee recommended that Governor Alfred Futuyo, a member of the opposition SPLM-IO, be suspended based on their findings.
However, the SPLM-IO Chief Whip, Farouk Gatkouth Kam, rejected any attempts to suspend the state governor.
Speaking at a press conference in Juba on Wednesday, Farouk said: “The SPLM-IO Parliamentary Caucus does not recognize the set committee since its formation was not according to the laws governing the formation of committees in the TNLA.”
“Any results, findings, recommendations or resolutions of the committee based on the report of this committee are not acceptable to the SPLM-IO Parliamentary Caucus. The resolution to suspend the governor by the August House is again a predetermined position by the SPLM-IG [Salva Kiir’s party] and its allied parties, which amounts to a political witch hand. We, therefore, reject the resolution in totality,” he added.
Farouk urged Speaker Jemma Nunu Kumba to revoke the decision and allow members of the TNLA to determine the composition of the ad hoc committee to allow inclusive investigations into the case.
The SPLM-IO Chief Whip said he had written a letter to the speaker dated February 10th, 2023, objecting to the formation of the committee, saying the ad hoc committee was not inclusive of members of SPLM-IO.
According to Farouk, the members of the committee sent to Western Equatoria to investigate Governor Alfred Futuyu were handpicked by the office of Speaker Jemma Nunu Kumba.
“This ad hoc committee sent to investigate the governor in Western Equatoria did not investigate the offices intended to be investigated, such as the state ministry of finance. They imposed on him [Governor] members of the committee who are biased and who had previously expressed their predetermined positions against the governor in the previous sittings,” he said.
The Office of the Speaker could not immediately be reached for comment.
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