The Executive Director for Women with Impairment Organization in Eastern Equatoria State, Laduma Patricia Igan, has accused the Presidency of ruling the country without following the constitution
Igan was speaking during the closing of a two-day dissemination of the permanent constitutional making Act 2022 in Torit. The event was organized by the Support Peace Initiative Development Organization (SPIDO) with funding from UNDP.
She regretted that the country has been on a transitional constitution since 2005 but the leadership has been operating without following it, hence the suffering of the citizens.
South Sudan’s permanent constitution making has principles that include the supremacy of the people, a federal and democratic system of government that reflects the character of South Sudan and its various institutions, guarantees good governance, constitutionalism, the rule of law, human rights, gender equality and affirmative actions.
“The leaders of South Sudan are not using the constitution. We are here preparing this constitution for everyone. The constitution is a supreme law which governs everyone from the president,” she added.
SPIDO official Wodan Saviour Lazarous said the workshop resolved around the need for the top leaders to have the political will to finish the process of a permanent constitution that will move the country forward.
“The participants urge the national government to expedite the budget for the national constitution review commission in order for them to discharge their mandate fully. There is a need for the national constitutional review commission to establish their offices in the 10 states and the three administrative areas to carry out their mandate and also to meet their deadline,” he said.
Torit Mayor Mustaffa Albino Zacharia admitted that the majority of the population did not know about the constitution, putting the country in a mess.
“Most of us do not know anything about the constitution of South Sudan. I would like to urge SPIDO to enlarge this workshop and transfer it to the county level because many people are hearing about the constitution but they do not know anything about it. Let us be the ambassadors of dissemination of this constitution to the counties because it is a very important thing in our lives,” he said.
Joseph Kabaka Atiol hailed the dissemination saying it was the first-time citizens were asked to contribute toward the country’s destiny.
“We have also been made to understand the dangers of not having a permanent constitution,” he said.