Africa-Press – South-Sudan. South Sudan’s parliament has challenged the head of the peace monitoring body RJMEC over his opposition to amendments to the 2018 revitalised peace agreement proposed by the government.
Speaking to reporters on Friday, Oliver Mori Benjamin, spokesperson of the Transitional National Legislative Assembly (TNLA), accused the RJMEC leadership of failing to follow procedures outlined in the peace agreement.
He said that after consultations among stakeholders and approval by the expanded cabinet and presidency, authorities formally notified RJMEC, as required under the agreement, to convene its members and deliberate on the proposed amendments.
“The chair of RJMEC is supposed to call a meeting of all its members and present what was agreed upon and signed by the signatories to the agreement for the amendment,” he said.
Benjamin said the interim chair did not convene such a meeting, but instead held what he described as selective consultations with some members while excluding others, a move he said was “not in conformity with the R-ARCSS itself.”
He added that any conclusions reached through those consultations reflected the chair’s personal views rather than the position of RJMEC as a body.
“The RJMEC is a body constituted of members. This did not take place,” he said, adding that the chair appeared to have decided in advance that no amendments should be made.
Benjamin said that while the chair was entitled to his opinion, he should have followed the procedures set out in the agreement by summoning the RJMEC council.
On Monday, RJMEC Interim Chairperson Maj. Gen. George Owinow told lawmakers that the Revitalised Transitional Government of National Unity must comply strictly with Articles 1.9.4 and 8.4 of the 2018 peace agreement, which require consultation, consensus and agreement among all signatory parties in any amendment process.
Opposition officials aligned with detained First Vice President Riek Machar, who is facing treason charges, have said they were not consulted or included in the amendment process. Machar is a key signatory to the 2018 peace deal.
Owinow said under Article 8.4 of the R-ARCSS, the agreement may be amended by the parties provided that at least two-thirds of the members of the Council of Ministers of the Revitalized Transitional Government of National Unity (RTGoNU) approve the amendment, and at least two-thirds of the voting members of RJMEC consent to it.
Only thereafter can such an amendment be ratified by the Transitional National Legislature in accordance with the constitutional amendment procedures set out in the Transitional Constitution of the Republic of South Sudan (TCRSS), 2011 (as amended), he said.
“While Article 8.4 of the R-ARCSS provides for the amendment of both the Agreement and the TCRSS during the Transitional Period, such amendments must be properly initiated in accordance with Article 1.9.4 of the Agreement,” Owinow said.
He further explained that Article 1.9.4 stipulates that amendments to the TCRSS (2011) and the R-ARCSS may be initiated by the President, the First Vice President, or any of the Vice Presidents, and shall require the agreement of the others.
“Once properly initiated in accordance with these provisions, amendments to the R-ARCSS and the TCRSS (2011), as amended, shall follow the procedures outlined under Article 8.4 of the Agreement,” he added.
Also on Friday, a group of Western missions in Juba, including the United States and the European Union, said any amendments to the 2018 Revitalised Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan must strictly follow procedures set out in the accord.
The diplomats endorsed the assessment by interim chairperson of the Reconstituted Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (RJMEC).
Despite the dispute, the government on Friday tabled the Amendment Bill 2026 in parliament through Justice Minister Michael Makuei.
The Transitional National Legislative Assembly and the Council of States are expected to hold a joint sitting next week to deliberate and decide on the proposed amendments to the 2018 peace deal, which forms the basis for the current transitional government of national unity.
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