Author: The South Sudan Herald

Historic Upset in Juba Ballot Businessman Francis Amin reclaimed the presidency of the South Sudan Football Federation on Friday, defeating incumbent General Augustino Maduot in a closely watched vote in Juba. Official tallies published after a tense midday ballot showed Amin with 26 votes against Maduot’s 12, giving the challenger a decisive mandate that runs to 2029. Social Media Victory Cry Moments later, Amin posted a terse message on Facebook: “We have won the race. Thank you,” signaling both gratitude and confidence to a football community eager for stability. A Leader With Unfinished Business Amin previously led the federation from…

Juba Swearing-In Signals Fresh Start Under the chandeliers of Juba’s State House, President Salva Kiir placed his faith in Western Equatoria’s freshly appointed officials, urging them to fly home and “work diligently to restore stability, social harmony, and peace” as the crowd of dignitaries applauded. Governor James Altaib Berapai and Deputy Governor Justin Joseph Marona took their oaths beside Water Resources Minister James Mawich Makuach and Deputy Finance Minister Yien Chan Ruei, signalling an administrative reshuffle designed to tighten coordination between Juba and the troubled state. Escalating Ambushes Undermine Daily Life Roads to Yambio now echo with gunfire more than…

Shock in Yuai Town When internet café owner John Anei was fatally shot inside his shop in Yuai Town on 3 August, residents were jolted by yet another flash of violence that often ignites Jonglei’s fragile peace. Local officials say the gunmen acted in retaliation for relatives killed during a May highway ambush in neighbouring Twic East County, underscoring how private vendettas still shape communal security dynamics despite government patrols. Negotiating Blood Compensation After a week of tense dialogue, Uror and Bor County leaders agreed that Anei’s family will receive 51 cows, the customary ‘dia,’ while security agents continue to…

Renewed volatility along tri-border corridor Two days of skirmishes have reshaped the security map southwest of Yei, South Sudan, after the Sudan People’s Liberation Army-in-Opposition announced the capture of Lasu and Libogo, settlements lying barely 25 kilometres from the Ugandan and Congolese frontiers. Voices from the ground Phone calls from Yei crackled with reports of sustained gunfire, prompting families to flee towards church compounds and banana groves for shelter. “The shots did not stop for an hour,” recalled trader Mary Sembu, whose stall now stands deserted amid thick silence. Government soldiers in the vicinity declined on-record interviews, yet an army…

Regional Concerns Over Forced Transfers Thirty-one Arab and Islamic foreign ministers issued a joint communique rejecting any plan to uproot Palestinians from Gaza, warning that forcible transfer would breach international law and ignite broader conflict. The communique cautions that displacing civilians could embolden militancy, strain aid corridors and destabilise already fragile borders across the Middle East and Africa. South Sudan’s Role Questioned Regional media reported that Israeli officials sounded out several states, including South Sudan, about receiving Gaza civilians. Juba has not confirmed any approach, yet the speculation has thrust the young nation into an acute Middle-East diplomatic crossfire. South…

Fresh Investment Signals Retail Confidence In the bustling Tong Ping district of Juba, the neon sign of Beijing Supermarket flickered to life last Friday, marking the entry of a new Chinese-South Sudanese retail partnership that promises fresh jobs, deeper supply chains and a rare channel for future exports. Company research suggested Juba offers a near-untapped consumer base compared with Nairobi or Kampala, where Chinese business communities number in the hundreds of thousands, Managing Director Simon He noted, adding that only about 500 Chinese private actors currently operate in South Sudan. Local Workforce at Centre Stage Eighty percent of the supermarket’s…

Rising Pressure on Warring Parties Thirty donor countries—including the EU, Canada, and Japan—issued a rare unified statement urging Sudan’s combatants to protect civilians in North Darfur and Kordofan. The call singles out the Rapid Support Forces, asking them to lift their year-long siege of El Fasher. Diplomats frame the appeal as an urgent humanitarian measure rather than political intervention, echoing earlier Security Council language that demands unimpeded aid flows throughout Sudan’s conflict zones. Siege Deepens Humanitarian Crisis El Fasher, the last North Darfur capital still under Sudanese Armed Forces control, has been encircled by RSF fighters since mid-2024. Trade routes…

Grassroots Momentum Builds Over a fortnight, residents of Mankien and surrounding payams handed over more than one hundred rifles, pistols and AK-47s, responding to a call from local chiefs and administrators who cited resolutions of last month’s county-level peace forum. Governor Riek Bim Top presided at the collection ceremony, praising volunteers while urging officials to widen the campaign beyond main roads before seasonal floods cut access. Security Context in Greater Upper Nile Unity State, in the oil-rich Greater Upper Nile, has long battled cattle raids, revenge killings, and an influx of small arms dating back to the 2013-18 civil war,…

Regional Context in Northern Bahr el Ghazal Northern Bahr el Ghazal, bordering Sudan, has long relied on informal trade and seasonal cattle movement. Yet persistent customs bottlenecks and sporadic insecurity have slowed growth across the five counties. Forum Logistics and Representation On 18 August, the state capital Aweil will host sixty delegates drawn equally from every county, including paramount chiefs, women leaders, planners and commissioners. Information Minister Gabriel Deng Yel says the gathering offers ‘a single table for reviewing performance and harmonising plans with national policy.’ Cross-Border Trade and Security Much of the agenda targets the busy frontier with Sudan,…

Heavy Rains Swell the Nile in Jonglei Unrelenting downpours since early September have left Twic East County submerged. Commissioner Juach Arok Juach reports more than 10,000 households in the county seat and nearby payams battling floodwater as the White Nile and surrounding swamps steadily rise. Families Displaced to Highland Pockets Many families have retreated to slender strips of highland around the Jonglei Canal, sharing space with 3,000 internally displaced households who arrived after earlier clashes in northern Jonglei, according to the commissioner. Mounting Health Concerns for Children Health workers warn of a spike in malaria, water-borne illnesses and mosquito infestations…