By Louis Laku
The leadership of the Presbyterian Church of South Sudan (PCoSS) has defended the legitimacy of its recently concluded 35th General Assembly.
The Church cited that the election of new church leaders was conducted in full accordance with the Church’s Constitution.
The statement comes in response to Rev. James Makuei Chuol, who leads a rival group, earlier questioned the legitimacy of the Church’s 35th General Assembly meeting.
In a detailed constitutional clarification issued Saturday, the PCoSS leadership said Rev. Makuei’s group does not represent the constitutional leadership of the Church and therefore cannot invalidate decisions made by the General Assembly, which it described as the Church’s highest governing authority.
According to the statement, the Church experienced an administrative split following the 2020 General Assembly, when one faction led by Rev. Makuei adopted the name Presbyterian Church of South Sudan and Sudan (PCoSS/S), while the majority continued under the constitutional name Presbyterian Church of South Sudan (PCoSS).
The Church said several reconciliation initiatives were undertaken over the past four years, including mediation efforts involving international church partners, the Office of the First Vice President, and the All-Africa Conference of Churches (AACC).
Those efforts were intended to reunify the two factions and organise a joint 35th General Assembly.
However, the leadership said the reconciliation process stalled after the Makuei-led group allegedly declined to follow the agreed constitutional process and instead extended its own leadership mandate through an executive committee decision.
“The issue before us is not a conflict between individuals or groups but a matter of obedience to the Constitution,” the statement said. “In a Presbyterian system of governance, leadership is subject to the rule of law, not personal preference or unilateral decisions.”
The Church cited provisions of its constitution limiting General Assembly leaders to four-year terms and emphasising that only the General Assembly has the authority to elect church leadership. It argued that the Executive Committee has no constitutional mandate to extend the tenure of elected officials.
According to the statement, the 34th General Assembly was lawfully convened in March 2022 and elected leaders to serve a four-year term ending in 2026.
Following the expiry of that mandate, delegates from presbyteries across South Sudan convened the 35th General Assembly and elected new leadership in accordance with the Constitution.
“The leadership elected by the 35th General Assembly is therefore the only constitutionally and legally recognised leadership of the Presbyterian Church of South Sudan,” the statement said.
Despite the ongoing disagreement, the Church concluded its statement with an appeal for reconciliation, urging members of the Makuei-led group to respect the Constitution and work toward unity.
“We remain committed to reconciliation grounded in truth, justice, and obedience to the Constitution,” the statement said, adding that all parties should pursue unity through constitutional order, mutual respect, and Christian love.
Rev. Makuei’s public statement, which prompted the response, questioned the legitimacy of the 35th General Assembly.
His detailed response to the constitutional arguments presented by the PCoSS leadership was not included in the Church’s statement.