S. Sudan parliament passes transitional constitution amendment bill

JUBA — South Sudan’s Reconstituted Transitional National Legislative Assembly (R-TGONU) on Monday passed the long-awaited transitional constitution of South Sudan 2011, as amended, bill 2021.

Bill number 8, 2021 will provide for the establishment of the National Constitutional Amendment Committee (NCAC) a body that will spearhead the constitution-making process.

It aims at creating a permanent constitution that will pave way for general elections by the end of the transitional period.

The bill also guarantees good governance, constitutionalism, and rule of law, human rights, and gender equality.

Hon. Paul Yoane Bonju, designated chairperson of the information committee in the reconstituted parliament said the bill was passed after a thorough debate by members of the parliament.

“The two houses that are Transitional National Legislative Assembly deliberated on the report of Adhoc Committee on Amendment of Transitional Constitution of the Republic of South Sudan, 2011 (as amended) Amendment No. 8, bill 2021 in its second reading but because the bill importance and urgency, the house has taken it through all the stages in this sitting,” Bonju told reporters after parliamentary sitting on Monday.

Bonju said parliament is expected to adopt and pass constitution amendment number 9 for change of name of organized forces in its next sitting slated for Tuesday.

“The amendment bill number 8 has been passed today and in tomorrow’s sitting, the house will be deliberating amendment number 9 connecting to changes in the number of some of our organized forces,” he said.

He said the bill will be presented to the office of the President for the President’s assent. 

“Based on the conduct of business, the clerk is going to prepare an engrossment letter and this letter is going to be signed by the speaker address to the office of the president and it is in the office of the president that he is going to sign on this bill to become a law,” he said.

The bill 2021 was first presented On 9 December by Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, Ruben Madol Arol after it was approved by the cabinet in October.