South Sudan 'to recall' order to expel foreign workers
South Sudan government officials now say they will ‘recall’ the order to expel expatriates and replace it with an ‘appeal’ to hire locals.
Kenya’s Ambassador to Juba Cleland Leshore told Nation.co.ke he had been briefed by South Sudan’s Foreign Minister Marial Benjamin that the earlier order to eject foreign workers by mid next month was ‘incorrect.’
“He has informed me that they did not actually intend to chase away foreign nationals working here. What they wanted to do is appeal to companies to give priority to South Sudan. They have said they are going to correct that on Wednesday,” Mr Leshore said on phone from Juba.
On Tuesday, Juba told firms and NGOs to eject foreign workers in positions ranging from executive directors to receptionists by 15th of next month and replace them with “competent” south Sudanese. That country’s Labour Minister Ngor Kolong Ngor argued the move was meant to protect the rights and interests of the people of South Sudan.
The move excludes foreigners working in the UN system as well as consultants, but South Sudan was targeting hotels, aid agencies, oil companies, banks, telecoms, and tours and travel firms.
If they withdraw this order, it would be the third time Juba will be retreating from decision to expel foreigners. Two previous ones happened over the past three years, each being pulled out after intense criticism.
On Tuesday, Juba later denied it was ejecting anyone, even though the notice by the Labour Ministry said foreign workers in the named categories should cease working in South Sudan.
13,000 KENYANS
At least 13,000 of the initial 30,000 Kenyans returned to work in South Sudan after clashes subsided in June. Most work with the UN, others are consultants or business people but some work in Kenyan firms established in South Sudan such as Kenya Commercial Bank, Equity Bank, Cooperative Bank and the East African Breweries. Other firms are involved in insurance, ICT and air travel.
But Mr Leshore told the Nation that Kenyans working in South Sudan would not be affected with the order because most either fall out of the category of jobs mentioned in the order or are working with companies that have long started the integration programmes.
“Most of our companies in South Sudan such as banks have been building capacities for South Sudanese nationals to finally take over. I don’t think we would have been affected as much, maybe if the directive was announced four or five years ago,” he said on phone from Juba.
“Our companies such as KCB, Equity and Cooperative Bank have all exceeded the 80 per cent requirement for jobs going to South Sudanese nationals.
“We are very compliant. The few jobs that are still being held by Kenyans will eventually go to South Sudanese after these companies implement certain programmes. We may have worries in other sectors like hospitality but the advantage is Kenyans have great skill that will take years for locals to have.” he said.
This is because, he argued, Kenyan companies in South Sudan were already working on programmes to relinquish most of the positions.
South Sudan does not have a Labour Act and most of its labour decisions are still copied from Khartoum, though it has been trying to implement policies to accommodate South Sudanese into the workforce.
But just 27 per cent of the entire 8.3 million people are literate, according to the World Bank update for 2013. The percentage could be lower for those holding first university degrees.
The challenge, if Juba goes on with the controversial order, is whether firms will accept to be bulldozed into it and whether the region will still accept South Sudan into the East African Community.
