South Sudan parliament re-passes controversial bill that caused SPLM-IO boycott

JUBA – The transitional parliament on Monday re-passed the constitution-making process bill 2022 which was boycotted by the SPLM-IO in July on grounds that the ruling faction has tempered with some provisions of the bill.

In July, the parliament passed the bill with SPLM-IO claiming that a part of it had been altered without the knowledge of the National Constitutional Amendment Committee (NCAC) and the other parties to the 2018 agreement.

The SPLM-IO walked out delaying the parliament’s work for several weeks before a meeting of the presidency resulted in the return of the opposition lawmakers back into parliament culminating in the endorsement of the bill yesterday.

Speaking to reporters following a parliamentary sitting in Juba yesterday, John Agany, the chairperson of information committee in parliament said the bill has ‘overwhelmingly’ been passed and was only awaiting President Kiir’s signature to become a law.

“The bill has been passed into its final reading and it will make the way to the president where it will be passed [ ascended] to law. So, congratulations to the national legislative assembly for passing this important bill which has been called for by the agreement,” he said.

“It is one of the bills that will prepare the nation of South Sudan to have a working permanent constitution. and it is one of the important bills that will invite the grassroots to participate in this important constitution-making process,” he added.