The Chairperson of the Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission has urged the government to expedite an amendment bill that incorporates the peace agreement into the Transitional Constitution.

Last month, the chairperson National Constitutional Amendment Committee, Gichira Kibara, presented the draft of the amended Transitional Constitution to the Minister of Justice.

The main provisions of the draft include power sharing between the President and the First Vice President, the inclusion of key political groupings in the governance, and power sharing among parties.

Other areas include the expansion of the national legislature, the permanent constitution making and elections, 60 days before the end of the transitional period.

Festus Mogae says the Transitional Government has delayed the submission of the Amendment Bill to the National Legislative Assembly.

“It is regrettable that the TGoNU has delayed the submission of this Amendment Bill to the Transitional National Legislative Assembly and missed the deadline prescribed by the agreement,” said Mogae.

He said fast-tracking the amendment will enable the initiation of a permanent constitution making process.

“I urge the TGoNU to expedite this constitutional amendment process and also to immediately initiate a Permanent Constitution making process,” he said.

Mogae however commended the efforts of the National Constitutional Amendment Committee in ensuring the draft amendments are completed as a matter of urgency.

“JMEC welcomes the recent progress made by the NCAC in incorporating the ARCSS into the Transitional Constitution of the Republic of South Sudan 2011, and for embarking on the relevant legislative review and amendments process.”

For his part, the Minister of Cabinet Affairs, Dr. Martin Elia Lomoro, says a structured document has been drafted to be presented at the Council of Ministers.

“The Minister of Justice and constitutional Affairs confirmed to me that they have received from the NCAC the amended constitution to the incorporation of the ACRSS into the constitution of the Republic of South Sudan,” Dr. Elia said.

He added that as soon as he receives the final documents from the Ministry of Justice, he will present it to the Cabinet.

“Yesterday, the 23^rd of May, the Minister completed drafting a structured note for submission to the council and to the re-plenary clusters so that it should be dealt with immediately as soon as this hits my table, I will role it to the Council of Ministers,” he said.

According to the Peace Agreement, the amendments, if passed by parliament, will incorporate the peace deal into the national constitution.

The National Constitutional Amendment Committee was established in line with the 2015 peace deal to spearhead constitutional amendments in the country.