Deputy Speaker of Council of States demands inclusion of lawmakers in NCAC

JUBA – South Sudan’s Deputy Speaker for the Council of States Mary Ayen Majok on Monday called for the inclusion of lawmakers in the National Constitution Amendment Committee (NCAC).

NCAC is the body mandated by the 2018 peace deal to review and amend fundamental laws to ensure reforms.

Speaking during a stakeholders’ meeting on the review of the national elections act, 2012 in Juba on Monday, Ms. Majok said the inclusion of the lawmakers will address issues related to changes in the bills.

“Part of our concern is the sensitivity of procedures for participation of legislature and in particular the two houses, because some of the concerns happened last time in regard to previous bills, namely the Political Parties Bill that resulted into boycott by some of the parties to a peace agreement and that, is the IO,” Ms. Majok said.

In June this year, the SPLM-IO announced its decision to pull out of parliamentary sittings after the parliament passed the Political Parties Act, which increased the number of members required to register a political party from 300 to 500 in each state.

The SPLM-IO accused the majority party, Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) under President Salva Kiir of tempering with the Political Parties Act along with the permanent constitution-making bill of 2022.

Ms. Majok said NCAC has limited the parliament from making changes in bills they passed, adding that if lawmakers are included in the body, it will help parliament in tackling some of these issues.

“I think these are issues also this forum should be considered, it has been debated because when you look at the mandate of NCAC and the restrictions or limitations that are meant to the parliament to limit change or scrutinizing the role of the parliament,” she said.

She said will help parliament to make the right decisions in the drafting of the laws.

“I think there is kind of limitation which I think that having such stakeholders in the meetings in case if they are inclusive then I think they will ensure that all use and all input will be there.”

“I think this inclusivity will make it easier like when these documents come to parliament and we are sure that in all stages we have participated and our views are there then our discussion will be smooth.”