Activist calls for formation of the constitutional drafting committee

The Executive Director for Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO) Edmund Yakani has called for establishing Constitutional Drafting Committee (CDC) to start soliciting for citizens’ views ahead of drafting the permanent constitution.

President Salva Kiir in his 2022 New Year address to the nation directed for the Constitutional Drafting Committee to immediately be established in early 2023.

“So I take this opportunity to raise a concern on the delay of the Constitutional Drafting Committee formation, its delay is disturbing a lot because it plays a critical role in rolling out the constitutional making process per the provisions of the adopted roadmap for implementing the pending tasks of the R-ARCSS,” Yakani told The Juba Echo on Wednesday in Juba.

He said that any further delays in forming the CDC could affect negatively on the constitutional making process

“Without effective and inclusive civic education on the constitutional making process the chances for effective and inclusive citizens’ participation in the constitutional making process cannot be secured,” said Yakani.

Yakani said wide civic education on the constitutional making process requires more than six months to be conducted.

“Meeting the standard of participatory and inclusive constitutional making process is required in our constitutional making process since it is the first of its kind,” he said.

Yakani added that the process provides opportunity for reconciliation among citizens divided along political lines

He called on the transitional government to enforce the principle of inclusivity during the formation of the Constitutional Drafting Committee. “Direct representation of persons with disabilities, women, youth, civil society and media in the Constitutional Drafting Committee is