NCAC receives submissions from political parties in South Sudan
The National Constitutional Amendment Committee (NCAC) has on Friday received submissions from twelve out of fourteen national political parties towards the amendment of the constitution of South Sudan.
The Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (JMEC) Deputy Chief of Staff-Strategy, Amb. Mahen Kundasamy received the submissions on behalf of NCAC Chair, Mr. Gichira Kibara, who is currently out of the country.
The Committee will consider the submissions and the agreed proposals included in the election-related laws amendment Bills.
This will be followed by the convening of a stakeholder’s validation forum in February 2018 to share the proposed amendments.
The NCAC will then draft and finalize Bills to the two election laws. This will be followed, in March 2018, by the presentation of the two Bills to the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs as required by the Peace Agreement.
The NCAC has also carried out literature review -including an initial concept paper and regional comparative analysis. In addition, on 17 August last year, the Committee held an expert’s forum that brought together 35 key experts in the election sector in the Republic of South Sudan.
The ARCSS provides for the regulation of Political Parties. Chapter 1 Article 13 of the Peace Agreement establishes the National Constitutional Amendment Committee (NCAC) and mandates it to draft amendments to the Constitution and relevant legislation to ensure they conform to the Agreement.
Article 16.1 provides that the NCAC review the Political Parties Act, 2012, and ensure that the Act complies with international best practices for the free and democratic registration of Political Parties in South Sudan, no later than six (6) months after the signing of the Agreement and present to the Assembly for adoption.
The Act shall permit the open registration of Parties until twelve (12) months prior to National Elections. The Agreement also requires the executive of the Transitional Government of National Unity (TGoNU) to reconstitute the Political Parties Council not later than 2 months after the amendment of the Act. Article 16.3 of the Peace Agreement further provides that the National Elections Act, 2012 shall be amended to conform to the terms of this Agreement, no later than six (6) months following the signature of this Agreement.
