March 10, 2013 (RUMBEK) - Lakes state parliament on Thursday has voted to approve a loan requested by Lakes state caretaker military governor worth 1.1 million
South Sudanese pounds from Community Development fund (CDF).

Matur Chuot Dhuol was appointed as caretaker governor of Lakes state in January 2013 (ST)

The Lakes state Ministry of Finance, Trade and Industry was ordered to withdraw money from CDF account at the Rumbek branch of the Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB).

According to a letter to assembly speaker by caretaker military Governor on Thursday 7 April 500,000 SSP will be spent on allowing MPs to go on recess and 600,000 will go towards "security related matters".

The state parliament approved the request on Friday 8 April. The Governor said that he would pay the loan back in June 2013, although he did not indicate from where he would obtain the funds.

Lakes state, like other states in South Sudan has been effected by austerity measures introduced after South Sudan stopped oil production over a transit fee dispute with Sudan, over a year ago.

On February 29 the Lakes State Legislative Assembly retrospectively passed a budget covering July 2012 to July 2013 worth 154.7 million SSP, which was presented by state finance minister Joseph Maker Madit.

Maj-Gen Matur Chut Dhuol, was installed as the caretaker military in January with a brief from the president to restore security to the state, which has been blighted by cattle raiding and violence between rival clans of the indigenous Dinka tribe.

Dhuol has introduced a string of tough measures, with some residents accusing him of introducing marshal law. The measures Dhuol has introduced include:

• Warning the commissioners of all eight counties that they will be sacked of they fail to confront cattle raiders and bring them to justice.

• Threatening to close the Lakes State’s Legislative Assembly if politicians continue to debate political issues.

• Denying those arrested on suspicion of involvement in cattle raiding and inter-communal violence of access to their own lawyers and human rights officials.

• Banning alcohol from being sold in Lakes state apart from at six specific hotels.

• Requiring that all firearms in the state be registered.

(ST)