South Sudan's English Daily Newspaper
"We Dare where others fear"
By Awan Achiek
A member of the Transitional National Legislative Assembly stated on Monday that the assembly declined his request to summon Dr. Benjamin Bol Mel, the Vice President for the Economic Cluster.
Machok Majong Jong, an SPLM lawmaker representing Gogorial West, filed a motion on 26 August 2025 to summon VP Benjamin Bol Mel Akol over allegations of corruption, abuse of power, and constitutional violations.
Majong accused VP Bol Mel of serious concerns regarding economic mismanagement, corruption, and national security, citing the presence of the Ugandan People’s Defence Forces in South Sudan.
He warned that unchecked abuses could plunge the young nation into “civil strife, community warfare, gangsterism, and outright state failure.”
Majong cited Article 55 of the Transitional Constitution, which grants Parliament oversight powers to summon public officials.
During the parliamentary session on Monday, Majong said he was informed by Speaker Jemma Nunu Kumba that the Assembly Business Committee (ABC) rejected his motion.
“I am going to read the article that gives me the power to do that… because I was informed by the Speaker that my motion was rejected,” Majong said.
He accused VP Bol Mel of misleading the public about the timely payment of salaries.
“The country is facing difficulties, economic difficulties. There is no money in the bank, and also, he has lied to the people of South Sudan, saying that on the 24th of every month…”
He also accused VP Bol Mel of mishandling oil revenues.
“We have not seen anything happen. And also, there is a lot of mismanagement of oil revenues, the Minister of Finance, and even the allocation of cargoes,” he said.
“I am not talking just out of the blue; I have concrete information from the off-takers and even from upstream, from the Minister of Petroleum.”
Parmena Awerial Aluong, the Second Deputy Speaker of TNLA, assured him that a formal explanation would be given.
“The information was presented to the ABC. The resolution will be shared with you when the Right Honourable Speaker returns,” said Awerial.
