The SPLM-In Opposition announced its advance team may delay its plan to return to Juba owing to recent constitutional amendments voted on by parliament to create 28 states in South Sudan.

Head of the SPLM-IO peace implementation and monitoring committee Dhieu Mathok said the move by parliament may derail the peace process.

Mathok said the creation of 28 states violates the peace agreement because the deal is based on ten states. He said any constitutional amendments should have been done by the constitutional review committee, as stipulated by the peace agreement.

He added that less than two thirds of South Sudanese parliament members voted to approve constitutional amendments to create 28 new states, which means that the amendments did not pass and cannot now be considered part of South Sudan's constitution. 

Mathok said up to 500 delegates were ready to go to Juba but are now delayed.

File photo: SPLM-IO chief negotiator Taban Deng (right), who was meant to lead the SPLM-IO advance team.

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Has South Sudan's constitution been changed or not? (Audio in Arabic)