![South Sudan's cabinet minister Martin Elias Lomuro speaks to reporters during a press conference at the ministry of cabinet affairs in Juba on Monday, June 10, 2024. [Photo by Sudans Post]](https://i0.wp.com/www.sudanspost.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/IMG_2797.jpg?resize=1024%2C529&ssl=1)
Lomuro addressed media reports directly quoting his previous statement before parliament, where he mentioned an account for “special projects” operated by the presidency. He insisted these reports accurately reflected his words but argued they were taken “out of context.”
During the parliamentary session, Lomuro explained that the $10 million intended for the National Constitutional Review Commission (NCRC), National Constitutional Amendment Committee (NCAC), National Human Rights Council (NHRC), and Judicial Review Commission (JRC) was channeled to a different account managed by the presidency, not directly to the aforementioned bodies.
He further specified that the National Salvation Front (NAS), a rebel group led by Thomas Cirilo Swaka, received $1.05 million from the allocated funds. Additionally, $2 million was allocated to Tut Gatluak Manimeh, the Presidential Advisor on National Security, to facilitate the implementation of Phase II of the Security Arrangement.
An unspecified amount was also directed to 9BR Chambers, a London-based law firm operated by Stephen Kay QC. Kay in 2022 was paid at least $17 million by President Salva Kiir. Officials at the time told Sudans Post that the money came from the state-own oil firm Nilepet.
Lomuro emphasized that while he did mention an account for “special projects” under the presidency’s purview, he intended to convey a different message.
“The President, like any president in the world, holds special files to address any issue in the country and those special files are assigned to senior officials, advisors, ministers,” Lomuro said.
He clarified that the $10 million was ultimately remitted to the Ministry of Cabinet Affairs, not directly to the presidency as his initial statement might have implied. A special project account within the ministry handled the disbursement for the peace mechanisms.
“This special file has been with me for the last two years and it comes to an end this September year. The file is with me and the account is in the Ministry of Cabinet Affairs, not the Office of the President,” Lomuro said.
He added that he presented details of the account to the parliamentary committee to demonstrate that the funds remained within the Ministry of Cabinet Affairs and were not diverted as some media reports, following his initial statement, had suggested.
