Natioanl Legislative Assembly in Juba - June 2013. [Photo by Junior Ali/Eye Radio]

The Minister of Justice, Paulino Wanawilla, has presented a bill in the National Legislative Assembly to amend the transitional constitution 2011 to increase the number of states from 10 to 28.

President Salva Kiir issued an order early this month, splitting the states.

While presenting the bill to the national parliament this morning, Mr Wanawilla told the national legislature this morning that the constitution has to be amended to meet what he calls new extension of decentralized system of governance.

“Since the President of the Republic has responded to the popular demand for further decentralization by creating more states, bringing the number of states in the Republic of South Sudan to 28 states, it is, therefore, necessary that certain articles of the transitional constitution 2011 are amended to meet this new extension of the decentralized system of Government,” Mr Wanawilla.

After the presentation, Speaker of the National Legislative Assembly, Manasse Magok Rondial, referred the bill to the committee of legislation and legal affairs.

Hon Magok said the two committees of justice and human rights will assist in scrutinizing the bill.

He said the committees will report to the legislature within 30 days.

The amendment comes days after the National Alliance (of political parties) petitioned the Supreme Court to stop the implementation of the order and declare it as invalid.