Michael Makuei, Minister of Information at the TNLA on May 14, 2019 - Photo by Joakino Francis @EyeRadio

The incorporation of the revitalized peace agreement into the transitional constitution is not necessary at the moment, the minister of information has claimed.

“There have been a lot of voices; people have been talking a lot – expressing worries about the delay in the enactment of the constitution, and we have been telling them the constitution at present is not the priority,” Makuei said in Juba on Thursday.

“Even if it was signed now by the President, it would wait for the establishment of the transitional government of the revitalized TGoNU.”

This is contrary to the provisions of the September 2018 revitalized peace agreement.

According to the revitalized peace agreement, the National Constitutional Amendment Committee (NCAC) is supposed to draft and complete the constitutional bill within 21 days upon the signing of the new peace accord.

The transitional constitution 2011 had to be amended to incorporate the new peace accord. It takes into consideration all five previous amendments to the constitution.

It emphasizes development and equitable sharing of national wealth, establishment of revenue fund and restructuring of some financial institutions.

It says the laws targeted for amendments include the SPLA Act in 2009, the National Security Act 2014, the Police Service Act 2009, the Prisons Service Act 2011 and the Wildlife Service Act 2011.

The NCAC has already concluded its tasks, including amending the fire brigade act which was handed over to the minister of Justice and constitutional affairs last month.

The revitalized peace agreement stipulates that the minister of justice shall present those amendments to the Council of Ministers and the TNLA within seven days of receiving the amendments from the NCAC.

R-ARCISS states that the TNLA shall ratify the amendments to the transitional constitution within 30 days upon receipt from the minister of justice and constitutional affairs.

The draft document also stipulates that the President shall assent to the amendments no later than the end of the pre-transitional period.

Despite this, Michael Makuei argued that there is no need to hurry with the incorporation of the new peace accord into the transitional constitution.

“Talking about the constitution at this time is just a joke, because we can take it today, present it to the parliament, the parliament will pass it, it is brought to the President, the President signs it into law and then it is waiting for that day. So, it is not a necessity.”