Author: The South Sudan Herald

Session Deferred amid Incomplete Reports South Sudan’s Transitional National Legislative Assembly has postponed its 2 September 2025 sitting, citing incomplete ministerial reports, according to a letter from Clerk Makuc Makuc Ngong. The assembly had summoned the ministers of defence, foreign affairs and interior to explain a 28 July clash in Kajo-Keji County that left five South Sudanese soldiers dead and displaced residents. Details of the 28 July Border Clash Legislators say Ugandan troops allegedly crossed the unmarked frontier, sparking an exchange of fire with South Sudan People’s Defense Forces. A ceasefire was later confirmed by SSPDF spokesperson Maj. Gen. Lul…

Threats ignite regional attention When a social media statement warned Jonglei campaigner Bol Deng Bol of unspecified “consequences,” regional civil society quickly took notice. The message, circulating under names linked to Governor Riek Gai’s press office, accused Bol of spreading unrest and hinted at punishment. Constitutional guarantees under scrutiny Community Empowerment for Progress Organization executive director Edmund Yakani said the warning violates protections enshrined in South Sudan’s Bill of Rights. “Citizens have a constitutional space to critique policy respectfully; that is not sedition,” he told reporters in Juba. Payam debate stirs local tensions Bol’s comments focused on the creation of…

Music and Dance Unite Fractured Communities In villages and neighbourhoods, drumbeats cut through memories of conflict, inviting youth and elders to move in shared rhythm. Each step challenges the divisions created by war. Traditional wedding dances often gather Dinka, Nuer, Bari and Zande guests under one canopy. In those hours, lines of identity blur as songs echo common heritage, offering a living lesson in coexistence. Artists Share Stories of Resilience Community advocate Mary Gune Body calls music, dance and art “life.” She recalls a wedding where strangers became kin once the drums began. “Music heals pain and reminds us who…

Church Calls for Unity in South Sudan Bishop Eduardo Hiiboro opened a recent pastoral address in Yambio by warning that a divided Church cannot bring healing to a traumatized nation. He urged clergy and lay faithful to model unity so the Gospel resonates with war-scarred communities. Nonviolent Language as Tool for Healing The prelate linked everyday speech to national stability, lamenting that poisonous words fuel tribal suspicion. ‘Nonviolent communication is the path of healing,’ he said, inviting believers to replace insults with respectful dialogue that builds, encourages and restores hope across ethnic and political lines. He compared the Church to…

Countdown to Real-Time Settlements The Bank of South Sudan plans to activate the National Interbank Payment and Settlement System (NIPSS) in mid-September, marking the country’s first real-time rail for domestic large-value transfers. Central Bank Governor Dr. Addis Ababa Othow hails the launch as a “historic milestone in South Sudan’s digital payments and transformation journey,” one he believes will connect citizens, businesses, and government on a safer, faster platform. Modern Banking Infrastructure Arrives NIPSS replaces manual clearing processes that often lasted days. Once live, interbank lending, government supplier payments, and corporate settlements will occur in seconds, according to the governor, reducing…

Presidential decree reshapes Western Bahr el Ghazal leadership Late Monday, President Salva Kiir used a televised decree to remove Governor Emmanuel Primo Okello and install Gen. Sherif Daniel Sherif in Western Bahr el Ghazal. Sherif belongs to a SPLM-IO splinter led by Peacebuilding Minister Stephen Par Kuol, distancing the office from First Vice President Riek Machar’s camp. Power-sharing clauses under scrutiny The 2018 revitalised deal gives Machar’s movement the right to nominate three state governors, a pillar already weakened by earlier dismissals in Upper Nile and Western Equatoria. With Okello gone, Machar loyalists control no governorships, prompting critics to argue…

Cash scarcity grips commercial banks Long queues now form daily outside Juba’s commercial banks as customers try to withdraw even modest sums. Lawmaker Michael Rout Koryom told colleagues that some civil servants wait days for just fifty thousand pounds, then take loans to feed their families. Legislators echo public frustration Koryom said salaries have been electronically transferred, yet cash remains elusive once accounts reach the counters. MPs questioned why deposits vanish while banks levy withdrawal fees. “When the bank is consuming the little you have, why would I keep my money there?” asked MP Betty Achan Agwaro. Demand for transparency…

Upper Nile Health Drive Gains Momentum A high-level team from South Sudan’s Ministry of Health visited Malakal this week, unveiling intensified actions against four neglected tropical diseases across the Upper Nile region. Officials framed the tour as evidence of government resolve to strengthen community health services. Government Push Targets Four Diseases Undersecretary Anin Ngot Ngot said the campaign focuses on trachoma, lymphatic filariasis, river blindness and bilharzia. He described the effort as a collaborative undertaking involving state authorities, health partners and residents determined to free their counties from preventable suffering. Field Progress in Renk County The latest trachoma impact survey…

Court Appearance in Nimule The municipal court in Nimule, Eastern Equatoria, opened proceedings Monday against eight young men accused of breaching public order, marking the first formal hearing in case 177. Details of Case 177 Inspector Major David Kasmiro told Eye Radio that the suspects had allegedly attacked an immigration officer and intimidated shoppers at local markets in separate incidents last week. No additional arrests were recorded during the ongoing sweep, Kasmiro noted, adding that some suspected accomplices slipped across the Ugandan border while others remained in hiding. Fresh Assault Near Jebel Estate The police chief confirmed a new assault…

South Sudan’s Digital Battleground South Sudan’s digital plazas teem with rumours, memes and altered clips, reshaping politics one swipe at a time. Researchers warn that unchecked virality fuels distrust, stirs ethnic tension and leaves defamed targets vulnerable to real-world harm (local media monitoring reports). Veterans Seek Recognition, Not Likes At Gen. Bior Ajang’s funeral, liberation hero Gen. Garang Mabil implored officials to “remember what we fought for.” His appeal echoed the 2011 Transitional Constitution, which honours martyrs and obliges the state to care for heroes. Online supporters amplified his speech, spotlighting unmet promises. Decoding “Wun Wong Aken Ben” Former presidential…