The Reconstituted Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (RJMEC) says it is concerned over the unity government’s failure to operationalize the Constitution-Making Process Act 2022, warning that the delay undermines the process leading to elections.
Speaking during the 27th RJMEC plenary on Thursday, RJMEC’s chairperson Amb. Maj. Gen. Charles Tai Gituai warned that several timelines have already been missed as per the Act.
“By now, the parties and stakeholders should have submitted their lists of nominees to the ministers of Justice and Constitutional Affairs to reconstitute the National Constitution Review Commission,” he said.
Gen. Gituai added that recruitment of members to the Constitutional Drafting Committee (CDC), should have been ongoing, warning that these days seriously undermine the progress of the entire constitutional-making process, and consequently the elections slated for 2024.
Parties to the peace agreement last year signed a roadmap extending the agreement for 24 months. However, the chairperson of RJMEC also noted that the unity government is already behind its schedule set out in the roadmap.
RJMEC further called on the government and the members of the commission to take concrete steps to expedite the implementation of the critical pending tasks as per the roadmap.
“As RJMEC members, we should consider support to the implementation of the peace agreement with a focus on accelerating progress,” he noted.
While commending the government for its commitment to implementing the roadmap, RJMEC called upon the parties to demonstrate ownership of the process by availing the requisite resources to the implementation mechanisms and institutions.
South Sudan council of ministers at the end of January approved the plan for the implementation of the Constitution Making Process Act 2022.