By Matik Kueth
The National Constitutional Review Commission (NCRC) Chairperson, DR. Riang Zuor, appealed to the Revitalized Transitional Government of National Unity (R-TGoNU), to firmly commit to financing the nation’s constitution-making process ahead of the December 2026 elections.
Speaking on Friday at the Eighth Governors’ Forum in Juba, Zuor stated that the constitutional framework cannot be completed without prompt and sufficient finance.
“We have not yet done anything due to a lack of support from the government. As soon as we are funded, these activities will begin with civic education because the capacity of the Commission has already been built, and the members are ready to hit the road when funding becomes available,” Dr. Zuor said.
He said if funding permits, the committee intends to begin civic education and public participation in December 2024.
Zuor pointed out that even as a lot of preparatory work has been done, like increasing the Commission’s capacity, the actual work required to draft a people-centered constitution cannot move forward without sufficient funds.
“The commission’s mandate includes civic education, public consultations, and the drafting of the new constitution, but it has struggled to fully discharge its responsibilities due to a lack of financial resources,” Zuor said.
He emphasized that the Commission is prepared to start working as soon as funding is available by stating that these efforts will start with civic education as soon as NCRC is financed.
NCRC’s plan, he said, includes a nationwide civic education campaign, which will involve traveling across the 10 states and three administrative areas and even reaching the South Sudanese diaspora and refugees in neighboring countries.
However, the initiative’s success depends on the government’s capacity to release funds in a timely manner.
“The 18 months [for the completion of constitution-making activities] depend on whether or not funding becomes promptly available,” he stated, warning that any delays in funding would risk jeopardizing the entire process.
Zuor underlined the need for a strong financial strategy to prevent further delays in the constitution-making process.
“If releasing of funds becomes slow, we will be risking wastage of some part of the extended period,” he cautioned.
The chair of the NCRC also clarified that the constitution-making process, which aims to adopt a permanent constitution, should be finished prior to the December 2026 elections.
He noted that the commission’s plea to the Transitional Government of National Unity (R-TGoNU) is for the government to speed up the process by making sure the required funds are made available.