Government pins hope on constitution making process to usher in peace

By Simon Deng

The transitional unity government is hoping to use the draft of the permanent constitution to achieve peace, reconciliation and stability in the country.

Mary Nawai Martin, the National Minister of Parliamentary Affairs said on Tuesday, that the drafting of the permanent constitution will help reconcile the conflicting parties and bring unity.

“We have different groups that have not reconciled, if we make a good constitution we will be able to reconcile and coexist among ourselves, we need the constitution to empower people specially women, youth and people with disability,” said Martin during the opening of the three- day workshop on the constitution making process at Royal Hotel in Juba.

She revealed that the constitution making process will cement the foundation for good governance and development.

Martin emphasized the need for public awareness on the ongoing constitution making process.

“There is a great need to write a good constitution, to make sure that the government is not blamed. We want to make sure that every person participates in the drafting of the constitution,” she disclosed.

Riang Yier Zuor, the Chairperson for the Reconstituted National Constitution Review Process said the permanent constitution making process should be people-centered contrary to the drafting process of the Transitional Constitution in 2011.

 “The current constitution making process is designed in such way that people will be consulted before drafting takes place, it is important that awareness creation on the constitution making process is taken seriously as designed by the 2022 constitution making process Act,” he said

The constitution making process workshop was conducted with support from Oxfam.