Author: The South Sudan Herald

Bentiu Radio Returns to the Airwaves On Tuesday, Bentiu Radio 99.0 FM crackled back to life after nearly twelve silent months. Governor Riek Bim cut the ribbon during a brief ceremony, marking a symbolic restart for a station many residents describe as Unity State’s heartbeat. Government Investment Powers the Revamp Information Minister Engineer Gatwech Bipal Both told attendees that state funds underwrote the refurbishment. The transmitter now blankets a 115-kilometer radius, operates around the clock, and links to South Sudan Broadcasting Cooperation television and radio, reinforcing official communication channels. Community Reactions to the Fresh Signal Listener Joseph Lony reported immediate…

Grassroots Cinema Movement in Mundri In Western Equatoria’s quiet town of Mundri, young members of the YMCA have swapped idle hours for camera hours. Their community film project tackles poverty, drug abuse, gender violence and corruption through relatable stories framed in comedy and drama. Funding Creativity Through Self-Reliance Branch manager Emiru Emmanuel says the team finances lights, props and transport with pocket change gathered after school and chores. “Developing our talents is better than waiting for white-collar jobs,” he notes, arguing that teamwork itself is a lesson in self-employment. Despite South Sudan’s fragile economy, no external donor funds the venture.…

Command Reshuffle Signals New Opposition Dynamics Acting SPLM/SPLA-IO leader Oyet Nathaniel Pierino signed two decrees elevating Lt. Gen. Alfred Futuyo Karaba to Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations and Lt. Gen. John Both Teny to the parallel post for Administration and Finance. Oyet declared the appointments effective immediately, framing them as a cornerstone of broader restructuring meant to streamline battlefield coordination and reinforce political cohesion across opposition ranks. Key Figures: Futuyo and John Both Futuyo once governed Western Equatoria State before his February 2025 dismissal by President Salva Kiir. Supporters say he kept close contact with SPLA-IO field units while…

From Medicine to Carpentry: The Pivot Born in 1986 in Pieri, Ruot Yien Nyuon excelled through primary school in Malakal before entering medical studies in 2009 at the University of Upper Nile. Escalating tuition soon overran family resources; traditional cattle wealth remained untouchable, forcing him to leave after one year. Craft Skills Forged in Kosti The dropout yearn turned opportunity when a 2020 carpentry course in Kosti, Sudan, introduced Ruot to chisels and entrepreneurial thinking. Returning to Akobo, he combined carpentry with a fishing venture, hand-building canoes that fed his table and local markets. Open-Air Training Center Supported by USAID’s…

Detained Youth Spark Concern Sixteen young men from Aweil are being held in Abyei’s Amiet market, a strategic corridor linking South Sudan and Sudan. Community leaders say the arrests follow minor offences amid a swelling influx of conflict-displaced returnees. Rising Detentions at Amiet Hub Amiet draws traders, pastoralists and now thousands of new arrivals escaping violence across the border. Police report frequent scuffles over scarce jobs and commodities. Knives are common, and small gangs disrupt order, prompting swift detentions to prevent escalation, according to security officers. Returnee Influx and Resource Strain Community chair Abraham Ariath Piol estimates more than 1,500…

Historic National Youth Policy 2025 Passes The Transitional National Legislature has endorsed the National Youth Policy 2025, a first in South Sudan’s legislative history. Advocates hail the move as a watershed recognising that the country’s majority under thirty must be central to political, economic and social decision-making. Demographic Dividend and Economic Promise More than seventy percent of South Sudanese are younger than thirty, a statistic that represents both pressure and potential. Properly harnessed, youthful energy can drive entrepreneurship, agribusiness and technology, reducing reliance on humanitarian support while stimulating local markets. The policy pledges a dedicated twenty-percent quota for youth in…

South Sudan Army Leadership Shift President Salva Kiir’s recent decision to reinstate Gen. Dr. Paul Nang Majok as Chief of Defence Forces returned a youthful, doctorate-holding officer to the pinnacle of the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces command. Supporters credit the move to merit and trust rather than lobbying, seeing it as a calculated bid to revive professionalism within a force forged during a bruising liberation war. Expectations of Institutional Reform Analysts argue that Majok inherits a dual brief: command operations and heal an institution whose reputation often shadows political turbulence. The 2009 SPLA Act provides levers, yet its enforcement…

Court Session Paused After 13 Hearings The special bench in Juba ended its thirteenth sitting within minutes on Tuesday, adjourning the high-profile Machar trial to Friday, 24 October 2025. Presiding judges cited the defense’s need for additional preparation as the overriding reason for the pause. Defense Requests Case Documents Lead counsel Geri Raimondu argued that cross-examining chief investigator Major General Basilio Thomas Wani would be impossible without full access to prosecution exhibits. “Fair trial standards compel disclosure,” he stated outside the courtroom. Prosecutors pressed for immediate questioning, but the panel rejected their objection. Health Concerns Stall Proceedings Attendance records showed…

A Sudden Departure Sends Ripples When Nhial Deng Nhial, respected negotiator of the 2005 peace pact, walked away from the SPLM last week, Juba’s political class froze. His 18-page manifesto unveiled the South Sudan Salvation Movement, promising to “revive lost ideals” (declaration). SPLM Counters With Accusations Bol Makueng Yol, SPLM Secretary for Mobilization, said the move was “deeply disappointing” and framed it as ambition masked in reformist language (SPLM statement). He reminded reporters that the veteran had enjoyed decades inside cabinet rooms addressing the very problems he now cites. He challenged Nhial’s security record, alleging that violent clashes erupted during…

Historic dialogue blends tradition and peacebuilding Rumbek, the capital of South Sudan’s Lakes State, hosted an unusual gathering this week: spear masters, the revered “masters of the fishing spear”, sat beside county officials to debate persistent revenge killings and cattle raids. The dialogue, convened by The Organization for Children’s Harmony and Peace Canal with Swiss support, sought to blend ancestral spirituality with contemporary peace-building tools. Officials call for joint action on crime Rumbek Central County Commissioner Dut Manak urged participants to help “apprehend criminals and murderers, check cattle theft, and tackle alcohol abuse” (Commissioner Manak). He warned that border zones…