Yakani sees ‘successful transition’ after parliament reached consensus on controversial bill

JUBA – South Sudan’s prominent Activist Edmund Yakani has welcomed yesterday’s re-passing of the controversial constitution-making process bill 2022 after having been boycotted by the main armed opposition SPLM-IO in its first passing.

Speaking to journalists following a parliamentary sitting in which the bill was passed yesterday, the chairperson of information committee in parliament John Agany Deng said the parliament passed the bill with an overweighing majority.

In reaction, the Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO) welcomed the latest development, congratulating the lawmakers for passing the bill and said it is a critical step in the peace implementation.

“The Community Empowerment for Progress Organization congratulates the law makers for passing the constitutional making process bill, 2022 in its final reading.  This is long a wait task that parliament have delivered for us,” the CEPO statement reads in part.

Yakani who is the Executive Director of CEPO said the passing of the bill once again is a milestone in the implementation process of the 2018 peace agreement and said it is a key step by the parties to the agreement to ensure a successful transition.

“The passing of this constitutional making process bill, 2022 in its final stage by the transitional national legislative assembly is one of the key milestones of the political transitional process for society to successful transition from violence to peace,” he said.

“Without proper citizen-centered constitution making process that are free from all forms of political restrictions and manipulations our society transitioning from violence to sustainable peace will be harder,” he added.

The prominent activist further appealed to the president to immediately sign the bill into law to ensure timely dissemination of constitution-making process to the public.

“It will be great if the president sign the passed constitution-making process bill into law immediately because it is essential to disseminate the constitutional making process law to the public for mobilizing them for effective engagement. The constitution making process is a national instrument for successful political transitional process from violence to peace if it is conducted in democratic manner,” Yakani stressed.

“CEPO initiative of Citizens Constitution Constituency believes that it is essential for the citizens to understand fully the constitutional making process as stipulated in the law on the constitutional making process. Citizens’ early knowledge about the constitutional making process will help them in driving the process effectively and get to influence the process too,” he added.