By Kiden Stela Mandela
In no country is corruption in any form legalized. Governments worldwide have established legal instruments to deter, criminalize, and punish those who engage in it. Similarly, the government of South Sudan has legal frameworks and jurisdictions intended to combat corruption. However, the country lacks well-functioning institutions to execute these laws, a problem compounded by a lack of political will.
The legal instruments and institutions designed to fight corruption must be autonomous. They should stand independent of political or military pressure, with their operations constitutionally safeguarded and guaranteed.
Fighting corruption is notoriously difficult because its reach is vast. While it is the government’s moral responsibility to spearhead this fight, the irony is that most corruption occurs within government institutions. Perpetrators in these offices are often sophisticated, highly connected to influential figures, and possess the bureaucratic skills to bypass auditors. In a robust system of governance, corruption is treated as a critical threat to state functionality. Consequently, intelligence agencies are empowered to tackle white-collar crimes and public office corruption regardless of the offender’s status.
In an ideal system, these agencies collect substantive evidence of abuse and report directly to the Attorney General. The Attorney General and the Public Prosecutor then examine the findings to issue indictments or launch further investigations, leading either to prosecution or dismissal based on evidence. This cycle requires strong institutions and ethical political practices from the top leadership down to the grassroots; without them, the system fails.
The reason corruption is not legally challenged in our country lies in these institutional flaws. Decision-makers have failed to guarantee the autonomy of anti-corruption bodies. For too long, there have been no serious court proceedings involving public office corruption. This has emboldened perpetrators, creating a culture where they feel untouchable as if corruption is no longer a crime.
Furthermore, the human resources tasked with investigating these scandalous dealings lack the necessary equipment and specialized knowledge. The results are devastating: a constant lack of funds for public projects, weakening state institutions, and a total breakdown in service delivery. Numerous reports by international experts rank South Sudan among the most corrupt nations in the world. This should be a wake-up call to shift our policy direction and prioritize accountability.
God protect South Sudan.
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