Justice Ruben Madol, the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs - Credit: Moses Awan/Eye Radio, Date: April 17, 2023

The Minister of Justice has encouraged South Sudanese to think critically about a permanent constitution that reflects their inspirations as the national constitutional committee begins the draft.

Ruben Madol Arol said the foundation for any nation must be based on constitutionalism and public participation is crucial to the process.

The Minister added that South Sudanese never had the chance for its political development before independence.

According to him, previous constitutional arrangements that have been running the affairs of the country were either constructed by other people or by circumstances such as the agreement reached to resolve the political situation.

But the chance has come for the citizens to find for themselves how the Constitution should reflect their inspirations.

“The foundation for any nation must be based on constitutionalism. We in South Sudan from our political development before independence, have never had a chance like we have today,” said Madol.

“The constitutional arrangements that have been running our affairs were either constructed by other people without our role in it or by the circumcises like all the constitutions framework that has been done base as a result of an agreement reached to resolved political situation.

“Now it is a chance for South Sudanese to think critically and they find for themselves what they understand about the constitution and how should it reflect our inspirations.”

Speaking upon their oath-taking, the Chairperson of the National Constitutional Review Commission, Dr Riang Yier Zuor explained the steps that the committee will be embarking on to draft the constitution.

“The commission has amended to guide the constitution of making process, are to going through the number of stages and those stages are divided to three,” Yer said.

“The first stage will be the stage where the first draft of the constitution will be made, then it will take us to the second stage where the national constituents will deliberate the first draft and then will conduct civic education on the bases of the first draft, and then there they will come up with the second draft which will be approved by the NCRC,” he said.

A permanent constitution derives its authority from the will of the people and shall be the supreme law of the land.

It shall have a binding force on all persons, institutions, organs, and agencies of government throughout the Country.

The authority of government at all levels shall derive from this Constitution and the law.