South Sudan's National Parliament Building - Courtesy

The Transitional National Legislative Assembly has amended and passed the National Police Service Bill 2022 for ascension into law.

The passing of the bill will allow the country to have the first Police Service Act since it gained independence in 2011.

It’s meant to re-organized police structure and its activities at national and state level.

“with all the recommendations and observations, the bill has been passed with all observations and recommendations,” says Deputy Speaker Oyet Nathaniel Pierino while chairing the sitting.

The fourth reading of the bill was presented by Hon. Simon Kun Puoch, the chairperson of Committee on National Security and Public Order in the parliament.

It was then passed into law after a heated debate that lasted three hours.

During the debate, the lawmakers took a long time deliberating on the immunity of the police and its power limitations.

This comes after some members rejected the removable of immunity granted to members of the police force in previous drafts. Immunity is a judicially created doctrine that shields civil servants from being held personally liable for constitutional violations

But the parliament passed the bill upon the recommendations and observation raised during the deliberations.

President Salva Kiir is expected to assent the bill within 30 day to become a law.