The Transitional National Legislative Assembly (TNLA) on Wednesday passed Amendment Bill No.10 2022 which changes the name of the national army from South Sudan National Defense Forces as indicated in the Transitional Constitution, 2011 (as amended) to South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF).

The change of the name in the transitional constitution will now pave the way for the presentation of the reviewed SPLA Act 2009 that was paused from being presented to the parliament for consideration as its renaming from SPLA Act to SSPDF Act was not marching with the constitution previously.

Dengtiel Kuur, the chairperson of the legislation and legal affairs committee at the National Assembly, presented the report of the committee on the National Transitional Constitution, 2022 (as amended) Amendment Bill No.10 2022 at its second reading stage to the parliament in Wednesday’s ordinary sitting No.6/2022.

The Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, Justice Ruben Madol Arol, presented the Transitional National Constitution, 2011 (as amended) Amendment Bill No.10 to parliament on 28 April 2022 in the ordinary sitting No.2/2022.

Amendment No.10 Bill 2022, which deals only with changing the national army’s name was tabled for the second, third and final reading on Wednesday.

The Bill shall be cited as “the Transitional Constitution of the Republic of South Sudan, 2011 (Amendment) (No.10) Bill, 2022 and shall come into force on the date of its signature by the president.

Dengtiel Kuur said: “Article 97(3) of the Constitution is amended by deleting the name “South Sudan National Defense Forces” and substituting it with “South Sudan People’s Defence Forces” to read as the Commander-in-Chief of the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces and the Supreme Commander of all the other regular forces.”

Meanwhile, Article 151(1) of the Constitution was amended by deleting the name “South Sudan National Defence Forces and substituting it with “South Sudan People’s Defence Forces”.

Additionally, Article 151(2) of the Constitution was also amended by deleting the name “South Sudan National Defense Forces to “South Sudan People’s Defence Forces.”

John Agany Deng, the chairperson of parliament’s information committee, said the amendment was unanimously passed.

“The Transitional National Constitution of the Republic of South Sudan Amendment No.10 2022 has already been concluded today in the plenary. It has been deliberated and the amendment is substantively small,” he explained. “It is just a matter of changing a name to “South Sudan People’s Defence Forces.”

“And for that matter, the Act of the army which was pending amendment will now proceed because it will be in unison with the constitution,” he added.