Lawmaker urges Beninese university to withdraw honorary decree conferred to Kumba

JUBA – A South Sudanese lawmaker has criticized a Beninese university for awarding an honorary degree to the speaker of the country’s transitional parliament, Jemma Nunu Kumba.

Earlier this week, Benin’s Weldios University bestowed upon Kumba an honorary PhD in recognition of her “excellence in public service and charitable work.”

But in an open letter to Weldios University, parliamentarian Juol Nhomngek Daniel accused Kumba of presiding over the “most corrupt” institution in South Sudan and called on the university to reconsider its award.

“The Transitional National Parliament of the Republic of South Sudan under the Rt. Hon. Speaker, Jema Nunu Kumba, is currently the most corrupt in institution in the country,” the lawmaker who represents Cueibet County of Lakes State in the national parliament stated.

“I call upon the Management Board of Weldios University in the Republic of Benin to reconsider its award in order to preserve its integrity and professionalism,” Hon. Daniel demanded.

The lawmaker has been previously in quarrel with the speaker leading to his suspension from parliament for several months.

But in the open later, Daniel emphasized that his objection to the award wasn’t a personal attack on Speaker Kumba but a critique of her institutional failure, particularly regarding endemic corruption, lack of transparency, and mismanagement within the Parliament.

Daniel who is a member of the main armed opposition SPLM-IO accused the Speaker of obstructing attempts to audit parliamentary finances, hindering accountability, and misleading the public through the conferred award.

“The award is against the integrity of your university as it has now institutionalized and absolved the Speaker from allegations of lack of transparency, accountability, mismanagement and corrupt practices in the Transitional National Legislative Assembly,” he said.

The letter detailed instances of alleged corruption and malpractice under Speaker Kumba’s leadership, including ghost names on payrolls, nepotism, and the Speaker’s alleged disregard for parliamentary regulations and democratic principles.

Weldios University is yet to respond to these serious allegations, and the controversy has sparked heated debates within South Sudanese political circles and the general public.