Author: The South Sudan Herald

South Sudan Faces Massive School Dropout Across South Sudan, more than 2.8 million school-age children—over 70 percent—are out of class. Humanitarian observers warn that conflict, displacement and hardship threaten to deprive a generation of the skills needed for national reconstruction. Poverty Drives Children Into Labor World Vision officer Sarah Naduru told Eye Radio that parents struggling to feed their families often send children to work in homes, markets or fields. “Parental poverty remains the leading driver,” she emphasized during the Sundown show. Cultural Norms Deepen the Crisis Family separation after years of conflict intensifies risk. Communal farming, deeply rooted in…

Historic Opportunity for Presbyterian Community The Presbyterian Church of South Sudan unveiled a $1.2 million appeal, aiming to complete its first national headquarters in Juba. Leaders frame the building as a milestone after decades of displacement and provisional offices (Eye Radio). Legacy Site Donated by President Kiir Construction stands on an 800-square-meter plot in Khor Wolliang, a gift from President Salva Kiir. Committee chair James Hoth Mai calls the headquarters “a legacy for church and nation,” urging believers and friends to “build a house for our God” during a state-television address. Fundraising Drive Targets Final Dollars Organizers report that roughly…

Night Assault in Bor Rocks Business Community A sudden midnight raid in Bor’s Pan-liet neighbourhood jolted residents on Tuesday, leaving traders from Northern Bahr El Ghazal scrambling for safety as armed youths forced entry into their rented compounds. The assailants, wielding pangas and machetes, reportedly beat occupants before disappearing into the darkness with cash and goods worth more than 34 million South Sudanese Pounds and 7,000 US dollars. Casualties and Looted Millions Hospital officials confirmed eleven injuries; five victims remain in critical condition at Bor State Hospital’s trauma ward, heightening public concern over urban security. John Deng Madit, head of…

UN investigators trace missing billions The UN Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan unveiled a two-year probe in Nairobi, detailing what it calls an entrenched pattern of public-fund plunder. Chair Yasmin Sooka stated that corruption has become the “engine” of the country’s decline, driving conflict and civilian suffering. Oil revenue at the heart of the crisis Since 2011, government oil income topped an estimated $25.2 billion, yet clinics, schools and food programs remain underfunded. Commissioner Carlos Castresana Fernandez argued that budget diversions translate directly into preventable deaths and mass malnutrition, worsening one of the world’s deepest humanitarian emergencies. Peace-deal…

Surprise Promotion in Juba A crisp salute echoed across Juba’s presidential palace as President Salva Kiir promoted Vice-President Dr Benjamin Bol Mel to full general within the Internal Bureau of the National Security Service on Monday, state television footage showed. The unexpected promotion, Mel’s third elevation in less than a year, deepened speculation about his political trajectory and the inner calculus of Kiir’s security architecture. Bol Mel’s Accelerated Career Appointed vice-president and head of the economic cluster in February, Mel replaced veteran James Wani Igga; by May he was first deputy chair of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement, confirming a…

Peace Starts Within Communities Sitting under a dusty tent in Juba’s Mangateen displacement camp, MP Bona Deng urged hundreds of residents to see peace as everyone’s business. The Chairperson of Parliament’s Specialised Committee on Peace and Reconciliation insisted that inner calm precedes national harmony. Economic Empowerment Training At the event, seventy-plus women received certificates after mastering bar soap, liquid soap, shampoo and jelly production, skills expected to translate into income and dignity. Deng framed the graduation as proof that livelihoods and security walk hand in hand, saying economic hope disarms frustrations that often fuel conflict. Message of Unity and Healing…

Opposition Declares Government Illegitimate South Sudan’s political arena entered uncharted territory Monday as the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-in-Opposition officially branded the transitional administration “collapsed” and “illegitimate”, hours after First Vice-President Riek Machar, its embattled leader, was suspended and indicted. Acting chairman Oyet Nathaniel Pierino declared the movement would seek “regime change” and called supporters to “report for National Service” in a statement released after a three-day virtual caucus. Roots of the Political Crisis The rift widened when government prosecutors linked Machar to a militia attack in Nasir, Unity State, allegations his allies dismiss as a politically staged “witch-hunt” that violates…

South Sudanese Herders Released After 10 Months Twenty-seven young cattle keepers from Eastern Equatoria have spent nearly ten months in Ethiopian custody after crossing the border with firearms in December, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Addis Ababa charged them with illegal entry and possession of weapons, local diplomats confirm. Quiet Diplomacy Between Juba and Addis Ababa Foreign Affairs spokesperson Apuk Ayuel Mayen says the South Sudanese embassy in Addis Ababa maintained “continuous dialogue” with Ethiopian security officials to secure the youths’ freedom. Neither side disclosed legal details, but negotiators insisted the episode remain a strictly bilateral matter, avoiding…

Rumbek North Violence Toll At least 16 people were killed and 52 hurt during fighting on Sunday in Abut village, Rumbek North County, Lakes State, authorities confirmed. County Commissioner Moses Maker Magok said the confrontation involved rival clans of the Nielniel section of the Pakam community. Roots of the Clash The clash reportedly began after three men from Ayen cattle camp visited Padiangbor territory. Police say a Pan Ruop youth was fatally shot, prompting his peers to regroup and retaliate, swelling casualties before security forces intervened late afternoon. Medical Response Under Strain Rumbek State Hospital admitted nearly 30 gunshot victims,…

Architects of Instability: Mohandis’ Claim Veteran civic leader Rajab Mohandis maintains that South Sudan’s leadership engineered the nation’s political paralysis and economic ruin. Speaking to Radio Tamazuj, he argued that the crisis results from a calibrated strategy to disable institutions and tighten control, rather than administrative missteps. Erosion of Institutions and Peace Deals Mohandis recalled that accords fashioned before and after the 2011 referendum were discarded once power was secured. He said the SPLM’s internal framework has since been hollowed out, while security organs lost coherence, obliging authorities to depend on foreign troops for Juba’s basic protection. Courtroom Battles and…