Parliament Blocks Motion to Summon Vice President Bol Mel Over Economic Mismanagement

(JUBA) – South Sudan’s Transitional National Legislative Assembly has rejected a motion to summon Vice President for the Economic Cluster, Dr Benjamin Bol Mel Akol, over allegations of corruption, abuse of office and economic mismanagement.

The motion was tabled on 26 August 2025 by Machok Majong Jong, a lawmaker from Gogorial West in Warrap State. Majong accused the Vice President of financial fraud, money laundering, and failure to stabilise the economy. He also raised concerns about the involvement of foreign forces in South Sudan’s security affairs, warning that unchecked abuses could threaten national stability.

Majong cited Article 55 of the Transitional Constitution, which gives Parliament the power to summon senior public officials. However, during Monday’s session in Juba, Speaker Jemma Nunu Kumba informed him that the Assembly Business Committee had declined the motion.

Frustrated, Majong accused Vice President Bol Mel of misleading the public about the government’s commitment to pay salaries regularly and of mismanaging vital oil revenues. He claimed there was no cash in banks and said promises of monthly salary payments had not been met. According to Majong, allocations from oil revenues and cargo shipments had been poorly handled, undermining economic stability.

Second Deputy Speaker Parmena Awerial Aluong said the Assembly would provide a formal explanation once the Speaker returned.

The debate comes at a time when an independent United Nations report has accused South Sudanese leaders of systematic looting of national wealth. According to the UN Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan, more than 23 billion US dollars (about 163 trillion South Sudanese Pounds at today’s market rate of 7,100 SSP per dollar) have been earned from oil exports since independence in 2011, yet much of this has not been directed to health, education, or food security.

The report said that between 2021 and 2024, about 2.2 billion US dollars (15.6 trillion SSP) was channelled through the “Oil for Roads” programme to companies linked to Vice President Bol Mel. Despite this huge allocation, the report noted that less than 500 million US dollars (3.5 trillion SSP) worth of roads were completed. In some cases, contracts were inflated and road works fell short of agreed standards.

The Commission described this as “grand corruption” in a country where nearly two-thirds of the population faces hunger. It also said public spending priorities were skewed, pointing out that in the 2022–2023 national budget, the Presidential Medical Unit received more funding than the entire public healthcare system combined.

Spotlight on Vice President Benjamin Bol Mel Akol

Justice Minister Joseph Geng dismissed the UN findings, saying the data was exaggerated and did not reflect official government records. He argued that conflict, climate change, and falling oil prices were the main causes of South Sudan’s economic challenges.

A spokesperson for Vice President Bol Mel declined to comment on the UN report.

The controversy has increased pressure on the government to demonstrate accountability. With banking liquidity tightening and citizens struggling to access their savings, confidence in the country’s financial management remains fragile.