3295: NATIONWIDE | "Where is the Money Going?" Tough Questions on Corruption in South Sudan

In this powerful episode of Radio Miraya's Nationwide Discussion Hour, host Gabriel Shadar confronts the deep-rooted crisis of corruption in South Sudan, spotlighting the crippling challenges facing the South Sudan Anti-Corruption Commission (SSACC). Despite being established in 2006 and legally empowered by a landmark 2023 amendment granting prosecutorial and lifestyle audit powers, the Commission remains paralyzed by chronic underfunding and delayed budget allocations. The acting chairperson, Samuel Benjmadeen, and executive director, Jeremiah Ater, reveal that the 2025-2026 budget—though approved at 26.5 billion pounds—has not been disbursed eight months into the financial year, rendering the Commission unable to conduct investigations, pay staff, or even travel. The episode exposes how war, political instability, and colonial-era mindsets have entrenched a culture where corruption is not only tolerated but normalized, with public officials and citizens alike complicit through silence, ignorance, and participation in corrupt practices. The guests emphasize that corruption extends beyond embezzlement to include social, institutional, and systemic failures—such as failing schools, non-functional hospitals, and unfulfilled development plans—making it a national emergency. Despite these obstacles, the SSACC asserts its legal mandate allows for retroactive investigations, and calls on citizens to demand accountability through informed voting, asset declarations, and social oversight.