Author: The South Sudan Herald

South Sudan’s Prosecutorial Gatekeeping Public attorneys in South Sudan review all complaints before investigators act, a layer of scrutiny largely absent elsewhere in the region. They also validate every request for arrest, ensuring a judge signs off only after evidence meets Penal Code standards. Debate Escalates Into Warrant for Majur Yet these safeguards were bypassed after an online debate where Advocate Josephine Adhet accused Presidential Press Secretary Ambassador David Amuor Majur of intimidation, defamation and sexual assault. A warrant followed despite Majur’s diplomatic immunity, and prosecutors apparently heard no counter-evidence before police prepared to act. Is Position, Not Conduct, the…

Health Minister’s Emergency Hospital Tour On Tuesday, Health Minister Sarah Cleto Rial walked the corridors of Juba Teaching Hospital after social networks lit up with images of overcrowded wards and scant supplies. Her visit drew attention to the facility’s dual role as the country’s top referral centre and medical training hub. She met Director General Dr. Anthony Lupai Simon in a closed session aimed at gauging service quality, stock levels and staffing trends. Both teams agreed that a transparent assessment was overdue amid mounting public complaints about long queues and unpredictable drug availability. Chronic Resource Gaps Surface Hospital insiders say…

Vice President’s Endorsement Juba’s inaugural Auto Show has earned powerful backing after Vice-President for Infrastructure Cluster Taban Deng Gai applauded the youth-led venture, calling it “a great initiative” and pledging open-door support for further steps toward private-sector expansion (Standard Zone News). Youth Vision Behind the Show During a meeting with show CEO Mandela Nelson Denis, Taban encouraged organisers to “organise yourselves and move step by step”, underlining how structured planning can turn entrepreneurial passion into bankable projects. Nelson Denis explained that the exhibition is only the visible tip of a broader strategy meant to create jobs, sharpen technical skills and…

Renewed Violence in Upper Nile State Fourteen people lost their lives on Monday in South Sudan’s Upper Nile State, when government troops exchanged fire with fighters commonly called the White Army, the army confirmed Tuesday (The East African). Military spokesperson Garang Ateny said the militia staged three coordinated assaults near Nasir, a town already scarred by earlier battles that triggered First Vice-President Riek Machar’s arrest in March. The army reported four fatalities among its ranks and claimed ten attackers were killed during the engagements. Machar Detention Fuels Political Tension Machar, who leads the SPLM-IO party, remains in custody over allegations…

Fiscal Reforms Gain Momentum On 3 September 2025, Commissioner General Simon Akuei Deng addressed staff in Juba, stressing that generous tax exemptions erode South Sudan’s fiscal space and delay essential infrastructure upgrades (Eye Radio). He reminded employees that the reform agenda comes directly from President Salva Kiir, who reportedly told senior officials, “Tax me too,” underscoring a desire for equal burden-sharing in domestic revenue mobilisation (Eye Radio). Leadership Signals Tougher Controls Deng noted that exemption certificates are sometimes traded informally to importers at cut-rate prices, a practice he labelled “selling the flag,” because the state forgoes duties without any corresponding…

Revenue reform takes centre stage Speaking in Juba, Deputy Finance and Planning Minister Yien Gach said efficient revenue mobilisation underpins peace, macro-stability and long-term growth for South Sudan (Eye Radio). Expanding the tax base with technology Gach urged the South Sudan Revenue Authority to register more taxpayers and adopt digital platforms that track payments in real time. He argued that technology curbs manual loopholes and reassures businesses that dues reach state coffers. Targeting leakages and illicit exemptions The minister warned that arbitrary waivers erode public finances. Only priority imports such as road-building machinery should qualify, he said, adding that every…

Public Vigilance Requested Major General Mangar Makeny, Director of Joint Operations Forces in Juba, has appealed for public vigilance over night screening teams operating across the capital (Eye Radio). Speaking at an Eye Radio Town Hall, he encouraged citizens to report any rude language, arbitrary detention, or excessive force committed by soldiers so that swift disciplinary measures can follow. Operational Mandate Clarified Makeny underlined that joint sectors combine police, army, and national security officers who patrol after dusk, flag suspicious movement, and pass suspects to regular police desks before dawn. Rebranding these units as full-time police stations, he cautioned, would…

Oath Ceremony in Juba At the Presidential Palace in Juba, Chief Justice Dr. Benjamin Baak Deng swore in five newly appointed officials on 3 September 2025 as President Salva Kiir looked on and reiterated that public office is first and foremost a service to citizens. New Ministers Take Charge Dr. Joseph Geng Akec now heads the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, Mary Nawai Martin oversees Youth and Sports, while Dr. Wek Mamer Kuol steers Parliamentary Affairs. The line-up also includes Western Bahr El Ghazal Governor Sherif Daniel Sherif and Counsel General Sarah Peter Nyot. Justice System Overhaul Pledge President…

Rising mobilisation in Jonglei Local officials in Ayod County report that a joint force of Nuer youths, known as the White Army, and SPLA-IO fighters loyal to detained First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar is concentrating near Mogog Village. Commissioner James Chuol Jiek says the mobilisation is led by respected spiritual figure Makuach Tut Khor, who has moved through Canal, Pagoang, Jiesh and Pajiek before establishing a camp in Mogog. Jiek recounts cancelling a trip to Juba on 31 July 2025 after weeks of failed delegations, noting that Makuach’s followers now insist only Machar’s release can halt their advance. Attempts…

South Sudan’s Fragile Truce on Edge In Juba, murmurs of unease grow as political gridlock and fresh skirmishes chip away at the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan, leaving elections and security reforms in limbo. CEPO’s Urgent Plea to New York Community Empowerment for Progress Organization Executive Director Edmond Yakani calls the forthcoming UN General Assembly “a golden opportunity” for global leaders to break the deadlock by speaking directly with South Sudan’s delegation, headed by Vice-President Josephine Lagu (CEPO). Key Demands for Confidence Building CEPO urges the UN to secure the release…