The Council of Ministers authorized the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs to immediately commence 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 Constitution Amendment Committee (NCAC) in accordance with the law, thereafter, the Constitution Drafting Committee (CDC) will be established and after that, a preparatory sub-committee will be established to handle the transactions and business of the National Constitution Review Committee,” said Michael Makuei Lueth, the Minister of Information, Communication, Technology and Postal Services last week in Juba.
Makuei said the decision to operationalize the constitutional making process Act 2022 came after cabinet adopted the presentation made by the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs Ruben Madol Arol.
He said the constitutional making process is likely to end on February 24, 2024.
“So, it is a process and its time depends on the progress made. If there is no progress it may delay or if there is real progress it may finish earlier,” said Makuei.
“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 added.
Makuei said that after the conference, the Transitional National Legislative Assembly (TNLA) will transform itself into a Constituent Assembly (CA).
“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 for assenting into law, and that will be the end of the process,” he said.
The parties to the 2018 revitalized peace deal are supposed to hold elections in December 2024 a time when the recently extended roadmap ends.
