South Sudan lawyers’ association should not be turned into a political constituency

The hotly contested election to elect the president of the South Sudan Bar Association concluded with a winner Arop Malueth Manon.

The bar association has for the past years been dysfunctional, due to competing interests from two factions since 2016, following the death of it’s last elected president, William Kon Bior.

This lawyer body is very important in as afar as respect for constitutionalism, rule of law and human rights in this country is concerned. The politicians have for long fanned divisions within the bar association to weaken the association to their advantage.

We hope the new leadership of Malueth, will exert effort to reinvigorate the once dead bar association. Just like in the region, the law associations have played pivotal role in checking excesses of power, defending constitutionalism and rule of law without mincing words.

We expect the new leadership of the bar association to reflect and come up with clear road map outlining the vision of the new leadership, after the partying and celebrations are over.

Leadership of the South Sudan Bar Association is not for every “Tom, Dick, and Harry” since it demands intellectual reasoning and heavy responsibility.

The bar association is a watch dog to counter undemocratic tendencies and violations of the rule of law.