Author: The South Sudan Herald

Presidential Decree Shakes Upper Nile Late Friday, national TV interrupted programming to read two terse decrees from President Salva Kiir. The first relieved Major-General James Koang Chuol of his Upper Nile mandate. The second installed Jacob Dollar Ruot, effective immediately, under articles 165(1)(b) and 106(8)(2)(a) of the transitional constitution. Motives Kept Behind Closed Doors No official explanation accompanied the reshuffle. State House advisors simply framed the move as part of “ongoing efforts to consolidate peace” in a region battered by militia clashes since last year. Koang’s Brief, Turbulent Tenure Koang took office in March after the White Army militia overran…

Presidential Directive Ignites Change In Juba, electricity bills are poised to drop after President Salva Kiir ordered tariffs cut from 1 November 2025, a move welcomed by households and entrepreneurs alike. Juba Electricity Distribution Company project manager James Akwi confirmed that the presidential order will be fully respected, describing it as ‘a consumer-centered milestone’ during a media briefing. Tech Teams Race Against Clock Engineers have begun reconfiguring vending software and smart meters to accommodate the new prices, a task Akwi says requires meticulous code adjustments and field tests but remains ‘well on schedule’. Parallel to the software work, JEDCO is…

Mombasa Port: Lifeline for South Sudan Cargo For land-locked South Sudan, Kenya’s Mombasa Port remains the shortest salt-water doorway to world markets. Nearly ten percent of the hub’s transit volume—about 1.1 million tonnes a year—heads north to Juba, second only to Uganda in traffic share (Business Daily). Foodstuffs, beverages and light manufactures dominate the consignments, illustrating how the port underpins South Sudanese consumer supply chains. Price Tag Pain: The US$5,000 Container Fee Juba contends that a mandatory US$5,000 deposit per container—levied to guarantee return of empty boxes—distorts costs and discourages scale economies. South Sudan’s Ambassador to Kenya, Anthony Kon, told…

Special Court Sets the Stage A special hybrid court reconvened in Juba to hear treason charges against First Vice-President Riek Machar and seven associates, accused of masterminding March 2025 attacks in Nasir that killed senior officers (court filing). Presiding Judge James Alala Deng accepted four key prosecution exhibits and adjourned proceedings to 6 October 2025, promising space for cross-examination of investigators and accused alike. Immunity Claim Sparks Legal Debate Machar, 73, told investigators he rejects the justice ministry’s committee, insisting ceasefire violations fall under the international CTSAM structure and that, as vice-president, he enjoys constitutional immunity. Prosecutors counter that earlier…

Fleeing Gunfire into Forests Gunfire echoed across Nagero County last week, sending entire villages racing into dense forest. Community leaders estimate hundreds of households now shelter beneath trees, cut off from markets, clinics and clean water, and living on wild leaves. Mothers Deliver Without Midwives Several pregnant women went into labour along muddy footpaths, far from trained midwives. One displaced resident said mothers ‘are giving birth in the rain with nothing but plastic sheets’, adding that newborns face cold nights and mosquito swarms. Local volunteers fashioned crude cradles from branches, yet complications such as bleeding or infection remain largely unmanaged,…

High-Level Meeting Highlights Coordination On Wednesday, Acting Governor Justin Joseph Marona hosted chairpersons of Western Equatoria State’s independent commissions at the State Secretariat, marking the first collective review of their mandates since his appointment. Independent Bodies Address Shared Challenges The conversation, described by Marona as “a joyful moment,” focused on aligning human rights, anti-corruption, relief, conflict resolution and HIV/AIDS programmes with the state’s overarching development agenda in order to accelerate cohesive service delivery. Leaders Reaffirm Public-Service Pledge Commission heads, including newly appointed Human Rights Chair Magrate Fozia Emmanuel, emphasised their pledge to serve citizens with integrity, noting that equitable access…

Midnight Theft Rocks Turalei Market Turalei, the commercial heartbeat of Twic County, jolted awake at 1 a.m. when thieves forced a shop’s padlock and escaped with SSP 18 million in cash and assorted goods, authorities confirmed Friday (Eye Radio). Arrest of Night Patrol Unit County Commissioner John Mabior Marup ordered the immediate detention of the sixteen joint-force officers assigned to protect the market. He stated the team will face investigation for alleged dereliction of duty after promising vendors constant vigilance. Trader’s Loss and Community Concern The targeted shop belongs to Sudanese businessman Adam Salaman Adam, who had stored the day’s…

Juba Airport Eyes 24-Hour Operations Juba International Airport has launched an ambitious plan to move from dawn-to-dusk traffic to full 24-hour service, positioning South Sudan as a new aviation crossroads in East and Central Africa (South Sudan Civil Aviation Authority). Modernising Runways and Lighting Systems Acting airport chief Eng. Kat Mosety Monyjok says newly installed runway markings and high-intensity LED lights already meet International Civil Aviation Organization guidelines, laying the technical foundation for safe night landings and take-offs. Additional perimeter lighting is being wired, and staff training schedules are aligned with the phased extension of operations from 5:30 a.m. to…

Record Japanese Support for Demining in South Sudan Japan has injected more than 16 million US dollars into South Sudan’s mine action portfolio since 2011, a gesture its embassy says embodies Tokyo’s human-security doctrine. Diplomats hail the partnership as a pragmatic route toward safer communities and accelerated post-conflict recovery. Clearing the Path for Agriculture and Transport Funds channelled through the United Nations Mine Action Service strengthen national capacity to clear explosive remnants, opening farmland, roads and building plots. Officials note that each newly released hectare quickly translates into harvests, transport links and construction sites that support local livelihoods. New 18-Month…

Behind the Evening Decrees Nightly, households across Juba watch scrolling television captions announcing appointments or dismissals. Observers note President Salva Kiir often explains changes with the phrase “I am still looking for the right person,” an approach that has turned governance into spectacle rather than strategy. Institutional Vacuum and Dependency Ministers rarely receive written mandates; instead, they rely on verbal instructions from the presidency, leaving ministries directionless and wholly dependent on personal favour. Analysts argue that such uncertainty entrenches loyalty politics, undermines continuity and weakens the bureaucracy that should deliver essential services. The Human Cost of Policy Drift A 2025…