Constitutionalism on trial is Dr. Lam Akol Ajawin’s latest book on South Sudan’s political intricacies and peace-making. A 218-page book, is a Must-read factual presentation of events that informed the creation of the then 28 states in 2015.
Dr. Lam takes a critical look at the republican decree labeled order number 36/2015 AD. The author raised three critical questions on constitutionalism. He asks whether the order was constitutional? Second, was the order in contravention of the 2015 agreement, which the author think was the root cause of the 2016 conflict at J1? And finally, whether the order facilitated tribal entrenchment and land grabbing in some part of the country?
Dr. Lam concludes that indeed, the creation of the then 28 states were unconstitutional on two accounts, first, it violated the 2015 agreement, and second, it wasn’t a constitutional amendment because according to Ajawin the order was “self-standing and self-executing”, meaning it usurps all powers of bodies legally and constitutionally mandated to legislate on such matters.
“The order rendered the provisions of the 2015 agreement on the governance in Upper Nile region null and void,”- writes Dr. Lam
The book starts with two remarkable forewords. First foreword by Amb.Lt. Gen. A.S.H. Njoroge, (Rtd), MGH, CBS and the second foreword by Dr. Remember Miamingi, a Strategic Leadership / Performance Management / International Human Rights Law/Governance & Conflict Prevention / Program Development / Project Management
“Dr. Lam Akol Ajawin is a selfless leader who has stood by the truth even at the expense of losing leadership appointments in the power sharing arrangements. Hon. Dr. Lam Akol is a human being who has always chosen hope over fear and doubt,”
- Amb.Lt. Gen. Njoroge –
“ I unreservedly recommend this book to those interested to understand the root causes of the conflict in South Sudan, to those who work daily to try and figure out how to address these roots causes, to those who want to lead the country in the right direction so that they may know the pitfalls to avoid , and to all who are genuinely interested in knowing the destructive forces of weaponization and politicization of differences to entrench and consolidate power for personal gains,”
- Dr. Remember Miamingi –
Dr Lam’s book – constitutionalism on trial- pour cold waters on Steven Kay’s investigative report titled— Pushing the Reset Button for South Sudan — that concluded that 2016’s conflict was an attempted coup’ in South Sudan.
The book is comprehensive with detailed political events in South Sudan, especially issues concerning the implementation of the R-ACRSS.
“The decision was a flagrant violation of the constitution and the Agreement on the Resolution of Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan (ARCSS), both of which provide for a ten-state model as the basis of governing the country”. – Dr. Lam concludes
I got my copy from Prestige book in Nairobi.
