Constitution amendment process on track as team hand over audit report

The reform process provided for by the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS) could finally hit the ground after Ministry of Justice received the Amended Old South Sudan Audit Chamber Act, 2011.

The report was handed over to the ministry by the National Constitution Amendment Committee (NCAC) yesterday, paving the way for the long overdue and critical legislations process.

Justice Ruben Modal said the bill would be presented to the Council of Ministers for deliberation before it is forwarded to parliament as soon as the ministry’s technical team finalizes the review process.

“The level of commitment and speed at which they are engaging with their mandate, to us is encouraging and would want to maintain the same momentum,” said Madol.

The NCAC Chairperson, Gichira Kibara said they would soon submit other critical bills to the ministry, top on the list, the Election Act.

“We are in the process of reviewing most of the important laws such as the financial management including the Public Finance Management Act, the Bank of South Sudan Act and the petroleum law, the Election Act, to ensure that parties are ready before the end of the transitional period,” said Mr. Kibara.

However, since the commencement of the coalition government in 2020, none of the bills has been enacted into law. Some of these are stacked in the Council of Minsters while few have reached the parliament for deliberation. 

If enacted into law, the act will help the Audit Chamber to overcome challenges in executing its mandate. The chamber has been complaining of lack access to some public institutions despite Chapter Three of the Southern Sudan Act, 2011 provides for the body to audit any public institution.

The committee has so far amended more than ten bills, including the five security laws – the South Sudan People’s Defense Force (SSPDF), National Police, Prisons, National Security Service, Civil Defense, and Wildlife bills.