South Sudan’s permanent constitution to be ready by February 2024 – Makuei

JUBA, JANUARY 29^th 2023 (SUDANS POST) – South Sudan government has said that the long-awaited constitution-making process has begun and that the country’s first-ever permanent constitution is expected to be in place by February 2024.

This is according to information minister Michael Makuei Lueth who spoke to journalists following a weekly cabinet meeting chaired by President Salva Kiir Mayardit and attended by First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar Teny in Juba on Friday.

The senior government official said that the government on Friday approved the implementation of the constitution-making process act, following a presentation by the minister of justice Ruben Madol and that it is a process which will start with the reconstitution of the National Constitutional Amendment Committee (NCAC).

“The council of ministers listened to a presentation by Justice Minister Rueben Madol about the implementation of the Constitution Making Process Act 2022. The implementation of this constitution-making process is a process by itself which starts with the reconstitution of the National Constitutional Amendment Committee (NCAC) in accordance with the law,” Makuei said.

“Thereafter, the Constitution Drafting Committee (CDC) will be established and after that, a preparatory subcommittee will be established to handle the transactions and business of the National Constitution Review Committee,” the senior government official added.

Makuei who is also the government spokesman said that the draft constitution will be presented to at least 1200 people of strong knowledge of law who will then pass it to the transitional parliament for approval before it is signed into law.

“After drafting the constitution, the first draft will be presented to the minister of justice who will table it before a conference comprised of 1,200 persons representing different categories of South Sudanese,” he said

“The CA will then go through the draft constitution and pass it and revert itself to a parliament. The constitution will then be taken to the president who for assenting into law and that will be the end of the process.” he added.

The minister further said that the process will take at least 12 months.

“This process is starting now and is likely to end in February 2024,” he added.