CEPO welcomes repassing of constitution-making process bill

JUBA – South Sudan’s civil society watchdog, the Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO), has welcomed the re-passing of the constitution-making process bill 2022 which was initially passed in July in absence of the opposition SPLM-IO.

The main armed opposition group had announced a boycott of all parliamentary sittings in June protesting the passing of the Political Parties Act, 2012 (Amendment) Bill, 2022 with an amendment that increased the minimum number of members required for political party registration from 300 to 500.

In mid-August, the SPLM-IO parliamentary caucus in the Transitional National Legislative Assembly (TNLA) ended its boycott of parliamentary sittings after directives from its chairman and First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar Teny.

Last week, the peace parliament re-passed the final reading stage of the disputed constitution-making process bill, 2022. The draft constitutional bill was passed for the second time after it was recalled when the peace parties resolved the rift among members of the August House.

In a statement, CEPO welcomed the re-passing and described the step by the law-making body as a milestone in the implementation process of the revitalized peace agreement and the transition of the country from deadly violence to peace.

“CEPO welcomes and appreciates the passage of the constitutional making bill, 2022. This is key milestone in the transitioning the violent to situation of peaceful and honorable transfer of political power in South Sudan including getting right to system of governance,” the CEPO said this morning in a statement.

Edmund Yakani, the Executive Director of Community Empowerment for Progress Organization urged the presidency to reconstitute the National Constitutional Review Commission (NCRC) and reminded the presidency to protect shares of people with disabilities.

“This step makes now makes it possible for the presidency to act on the reconstitution of the national constitution review commission. It is essential that presidency take seriously without any failure of appointment of representatives of persons with disabilities in the constitutional drafting committee,” he said.

“The persons with disabilities should be engage in the constitutional making process in effective and meaningful manner to secure the right incorporation of their rights and freedoms in the constitution which will in return will amend all provisions of the existing laws in terms of language used and scope of their rights and freedoms,” Yakani stressed.

The statement further urged the presidency “to embrace effective and meaningful participation of persons with disabilities in the country political transitional process. It is time to stop disability discrimination and embrace disability inclusion.”

“Finally, CEPO yellow Ribbon is impressed by the parties at for the time appointing state parliamentarians from the persons with disabilities. At least the campaign gained appointment of one state parliamentarian from persons disabilities in the ten states. This is encouraging and the campaign expect more effective and meaningful participation of persons with disabilities in the country political transitional process,” it added.