Dr. Riang Yer Zuor, Chairperson of National Constitution Review Commission in his office after speaking to Eye Radio on Friday, 27th Sept 2024. Photo Credit: Charles Wote/Eye Radio

The National Constitutional Review Commission (NCRC) said it may take 18 months to complete the permanent constitution-making process on the condition that resources are made available to them on time.

The Constitution Making Process Act of 2022 stipulates that after the enactment of the Act, the Commission shall establish a Constitution Drafting Committee.

This will also be followed by the appointment of a subcommittee, which shall convene the conference to mark the beginning of the constitution-making process.

Dr. Riang Yer Zuor, Chairperson of the National Constitutional Review Commission (NCRC), said they have presented their action plan to the High-Level Committee.

Dr. Riang hopes that South Sudan will have a permanent constitution before going for elections in December 2026.

“We presented our action plan for the Constitution making process and we have determined that the constitution making process need 18 months for us to complete it,” he said in an interview with Eye Radio.

“Those 18 months depend on the availability of resources from the day that the resources are made available for us, and we believe that if resources are made available, we will have a permanent Constitution before the end of the extended period of the transition.”

Dr. Riang further said the commission has budgeted for about 43 million US dollars to enable the Commission to run its activities.

He added that they have also equipped the 57 members of the Commission with the necessary skills in constitutional issues such as federalism, separation of powers, and independence of the judiciary.

Meanwhile, the Secretary General of the Commission said all the necessary arrangements to embark on wider civic education have been put in place.

John Nathan Abraham stated that they are soon going to meet with partners to seek their support while waiting for the Parliament to pass the budget.

“Our committees are there and our action plan for implementation of the civic education and public consultation manual is there but then a lot depends on funding. As soon as funding becomes available, we will embark on that. Very soon maybe in about two weeks time.”

“We will be meeting with our partners to see whatever they have for civic education and public consultations. And as far as the government aspect is concerned now the budget for the entire government for the various institutions have already been tabled before the assembly.”

“Usually it takes 45 days, but they have been giving instructions to make sure that things are done within at least three weeks.”

The National Constitutional Review Commission was among the electoral institutions that received an advance allocation of 1.2 billion pounds from the government in April this year.

It has, however, embarked on construction and renovation activities at the National Constitutional Review Commission headquarters in Juba, using part of the 1.2 billion pounds the Commission received from the government.

The UNDP has also contributed by providing a new hall for the Constitution Drafting Committee and expanding the Commission’s previous meeting hall.