Hon. Paul Yoane, Chairperson for Information Committee at the TNLA: Eye Radio file photo

The parliament will not tamper with the draft security bills as claimed by the SPLM-IO, the chairperson of information committee in the national parliament has said.

On Wednesday, the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs presented the amended transitional constitution before the August House for incorporation.

The lawmakers referred the document to the committee of legislation and justice to examine its content before its final approval by the Members of Parliament.

The laws being amended are the 2009 SPLA Act, the National Security Act of 2014, the Police Service Act of 2009, the Prisons Service Act of 2011 and the Wildlife Service Act of 2011.

However, the main opposition group expressed fears that the government is intending to review the bills without the consent of the National Constitution Amendment Committee.

Oyet Nathaniel Pierino – the SPLM-IO representative to the National Constitutional Amendment Committee, told Eye Radio on Thursday, that the government has intentions to remove some provisions of the bill that does not suit its interests.

“There are clear tendency and intention by the government to review the draft bill to delete provisions that don’t suit them,” said the SPLM-IO representative to the National Constitutional Amendment Committee.

Mr. Oyet said the opposition rejects government intention to manipulate the Agreement and legal reforms process.

“The SPLMA(IO) will never accept this process or any changes to the Constitution Amendment Bill arising from this process and outside the National Constitution Amendment Committee (NCAC),” said Oyet.

“This is a clear indication that despite signing the R-ARCSS, ITGoNU doesn’t want any reforms, it is determined to maintain the current status quo of decay and collapse in the security sector and to obstruct any prospect for reforms in the government.”

In response, the chairperson of the information committee at the Transitional National Legislative Assembly has dismissed the allegations.

Paul Yoane said the MPs will only amend the constitution in favor of the South Sudanese people.

“In parliament, you deal with an issue one by one. So the fears that some of my brothers, our close partners in the SPLM-IO are expressing, I just want to allay these fears are not true,” said Hon. Paul

“We will not do away with something to suit the incumbent gov’t’s interest. No, we will do a law which will govern our institutions, which our government will use it and the leadership will use to suit the interest of the people of South Sudan.”

Parties to the revitalized peace agreement are now left with 20 days for the formation of a unity government.

But the 2011 Transitional Constitution is yet to be amended as required by the revitalized peace agreement.