The leader of the SPLM in Opposition, Dr Riek Machar, says he will not come to Juba unless a transitional constitution is in place.

The parties are stuck in the implementation of the agreement due to a dispute over the creation of more states.
Dr Riek says he will have nothing to do in Juba without the constitution.

He spoke at a press conference in Kampala today after meeting Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni last night.

“Once you hear that the parties have agreed on a draft of a constitution, and the draft is taken to the transitional national assembly and the assembly has passed it, the next day I will be in Juba, because if I go to Juba now, what will I do? Complain? Get restricted not to come to Kampala? Once these important procedures are done, I want to go back to Juba,” he said.

“I am in South Sudan. So, from South Sudan straight to Juba, I would go.”

The government says it will take three months to have the constitution in place.

Michael Makuei is the minister of information and the official government spokesman.

“The constitutional process is not an event, so we don’t expect it to come out within a day and night. The constitution has not yet gone to the Ministry of Justice, it will come to the Cabinet, then it will go to the parliament; the parliament will take its one month, and there after it is passed and sent to the President for assent and signature,” Mr Makuei said.

“This is the process…so maybe up to mid-March when the Transitional Government of National Unity will be established. Meanwhile, the government will continue to render its normal services to the citizen until that time when TGoNU is established.”

Mr Makuei spoke after the Council of Ministers meeting this afternoon.

Daniel Danis contributed to this report.