South Sudan government proposes bill to extend presidential term

(Photo: AFP/VNA)

South Sudanese Justice Minister Paulino Wanawilla Unango presented the constitutional amendment bill 2018 to parliament seeking to extend the duration of the Transitional National Legislative Assembly, the term of president, First Vice president and state governors, for another three years.

The bill amends the constitution to extend their tenure to 2021.

It will now be examined by the Transitional National Legislative Assembly committee and then returned to parliament for a second reading in 30 days.

South Sudan was supposed to hold elections in July 2015, but the plan was interrupted after the world's newest nation descended into civil war in late 2013.

The country's parliament in June 2015 extended President Salva Kiir's government until July due to the conflict which saw the deaths of tens of thousands of people and the displacement of millions of others./.