South Sudan officials snub President's wealth declaration order

High ranking government officials in South Sudan have snubbed a presidential order to declare their wealth, the new country's anti-graft body said.

This is likely to hamper efforts to rein in growing official corruption, it said.

President Salva Kiir in December ordered a declaration of assets as part of sweeping reforms.

But the anti-corruption commission said officials were declining to comply, long after the set deadline had lapsed.

"Only a few, just about 120, all here in Juba, have returned their forms filled,” said Justice Gatawec Lul, the commission's chairperson.

"It shouldn’t have been like this because we sent out more than 1,400 forms. It is unfortunate that it is this small number of forms that have been returned filled," he said.

Less than a year old since its secession from the north, the new country is fighting to get a grip on corruption.

Not accounted for

A recent report by the Auditor-General's chamber found that over $1.5 billion was not accounted for in the financial statements of 2005 and 2006.

Western donors last year named 13 senior government officials who they said had amassed fortunes while in government over the past six years since 2005.

But senior officials say they have nothing to declare and accused the commission of being toothless.

"It is shouting there, but it doesn’t have any teeth,” said Aldo Ajo, the head of Legislation, Legal Affairs and Human Rights in the lower chamber of the assembly, flanking former Finance minister Arthur Akuien who was himself accused of embezzling funds between 2005 and 2007.

"And all of us who came have never had property. Property is now being built. Nobody had anything. Even all these members of parliament have nothing to declare and they are passing papers to declare wealth," he said.

The anti-graft commission warned that those who have not declare their wealth could be asked to resign as part of implementing President Kiir’s order.

Donors and development partners, particularly the UN and US have raised concerns about corruption in the new country.