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Catholic Bishop in South Sudan Decries Nepotism in Job Recruitment Locally, Nationally

Bishop Matthew Remijio Adam of South Sudan's Wau Diocese/ Credit: Courtesy Photo

The Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Wau in South Sudan has expressed concerns about the practice of nepotism in job recruitment at the local and national level in the East-Central African nation.

Speaking during the launch of an evening Radio show on the Voice of Hope (VOH) Radio of the Catholic Diocese of Wau last weekend, Bishop Matthew Remijio Adam said that “nepotism has seriously affected the development of South Sudan.”

“We are affected by nepotism,” Bishop Remjio said, adding that the practice of nepotism at local and national levels is manifest in such a way that “when I am in a position, I make sure that for the sake of my security, I have to put all my relatives.”

He emphasized, “Nepotism is not a sickness only in Wau state or in Western Bhar el ghazal state but a sickness of the whole country.”

“The issue of nepotism in our society is more than coronavirus,” the Local Ordinary of Wau Diocese who doubles as the Apostolic Administrator of Rumbek Diocese further said during the July 3 event.

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In November last year, a section of youths in South Sudan’s Aweil County took to the streets to demand for a fair recruitment process by Non-Governmental Organizations. 

The youth blamed the state Relief and Rehabilitation Commission for interrupting the interviews of eight candidates with the Norwegian Refugee Council.

In his July 3 address, Bishop Remijio underscored the need to end the vice in the world’s youngest nation saying, “We need to fight this nepotism when hiring staff because we cannot get security from our relatives, our families and tribes at work.”

The member of the Comboni Missionaries who has been at the helm of the South Sudanse Diocese since January said that employers in the 10-year-old nation have “to use the principles that can allow our country to develop.”

The principles entail hiring qualified personnel regardless of their origin, he said, explaining, “One can’t be employed because he/she is my nephew or my cousin to be in that place. When we ignore those who can make things better, (that) is pulling down of the country instead of developing it.”

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The practice of nepotism, the South Sudanese Bishop noted, is also finding its way in the Church. 

“We are going to stop all these kinds of sicknesses. This virus should not penetrate in the place of God,” the 49-year-old Bishop said, and implored, “We ask the Lord to help each and every one of us to be committed and follow principles.”