South Sudan Parliament: Debates Constitutional Amendment Bill Behind Closed Doors

On Tuesday, South Sudan's parliament, under the direction of Speaker Joseph Paciko Ngere, barred journalists and members of the public from a sitting where lawmakers commenced debating proposed constitutional amendments, specifically Constitution Amendment Bill No. 13, ahead of elections scheduled for December. Speaker Ngere invoked Parliamentary Regulation 24 to close the sitting, citing national security, the safeguarding of sovereignty, public order, and social stability as reasons for the closed-door debate. This bill, which the Cabinet approved in August, aims to amend the country's transitional constitution to align with the electoral timetable, notably by removing legal requirements that link elections to the adoption of a permanent constitution and the completion of a national population and housing census. The proposed changes would permit the December 2026 elections to proceed under the amended transitional constitution while the permanent constitution-making process and census are conducted separately, and also include a provision for a five-year term for an elected president.