By Skye Wheeler
JUBA, Sudan, March 10 (Reuters) - Southern Sudan's Anti-Corruption Commission is struggling to fight government graft because politicians have failed to give it the legal powers it needs to do the job, top officials said on Thursday.
The anti-corruption commission was set up to monitor South Sudan's semi-autonomous government, created in 2005 at the end of a two-decade civil war with the north.
"We are not able to investigate, prosecute or send summons," commission chairwoman Pauline Riak told Reuters.
Officials said commission staff had already identified up to 30 serious cases of graft, but were unable to take any action against suspects because parliament had not passed "enabling" legislation giving the commission the right to investigate.
Pending cases include the suspected rigging of commercial bids and preferential treatment to individuals and organisations based on tribalism and nepotism, said South Sudan's Director General for Investigation and Legal Services Aleu Garang.
The commission's enabling legislation is still in draft form, Garang added.
"Nobody has been prosecuted in the three years. Some feel this zero-tolerance is just a slogan," Garang said, referring to the zero-tolerance to corruption effort launched by South Sudan President Salva Kiir more than a year ago.
Southerners had hoped their lives would dramatically change for the better after the peace accord, which allowed for a semi-autonomous southern government, funded by half of all oil revenues generated in the south.
But a report by the commission showed nearly 90 percent of southerners believe corruption to be a major issue. Garang said citizens have become suspicious of the sudden evidence of wealth among some individuals in South Sudan.
Commentators say a string of other independent bodies in the south have also been prevented from doing their work because of legislative delays in the southern parliament.
The south's Employees' Justice Chamber has only been able to close 13 cases from 190 complaints, said Chairwoman Elizabeth Majok, adding she was largely limited to giving advice on labour rights issues.
Human Rights Commission chairwoman Joy Kwaje said she had to rely on the goodwill of authorities to get any work done.
"If not in the interest of someone to comply, they don't have to," she said.
But the parliament's legal affairs committee head, Deng Arop, said the assembly only sits for six months a year and cannot work any faster. "Capacity is an issue," Arop said.
Often bills drafted by relevant ministries or commissions need massive reworking to be turned into potential legislation. There are simply not enough trained people, he said. (Editing by Andrew Heavens and Mary Gabriel)
