Author: The South Sudan Herald

Business Leader Sounds Alarm on Economy Standing before journalists at South Sudan Hotel in Juba on Tuesday, Ayii Duang Ayii, president of the national business community, painted a stark picture of inflation and slowing trade, warning that without swift action, fragile post-conflict gains risk slipping away. Direct Appeal to Newly Appointed Ministers “We are calling on newly appointed ministers to work closely with the private sector to rescue the dwindling economy,” he declared, congratulating Athian Diing Athian, Adut Salva Kiir, Joseph Muom Majak, and Joseph Geng Akech on their appointments. He urged Vice-President and Economic Cluster chairperson to convene a…

Strategic Shift in Upper Nile After three days of intense firefights, the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces declared full control of Tonga, headquarters of Panyikang County. The riverine town, contested since 2018, sits astride vital Nile corridors and has repeatedly undermined confidence in the country’s revitalized peace roadmap. SSPDF Commanders Visit and Assurances Deputy operations chief Gen. Kong Thou landed by helicopter on Tuesday, touring sandbagged positions and flooded alleyways. He urged displaced families to return unarmed, stressing that weapon collection would follow a phased schedule aligned with the national force-integration plan. Local Security Commitments Division Two commander Maj. Gen.…

Juba Showpiece Nears Juba National Stadium prepares for Matchday 7 of Africa’s 2026 World Cup qualifiers, with South Sudan welcoming DR Congo on Friday, 5 September at 12:00 GMT. The fixture underlines the contrasting paths of Group B’s fifth-placed Bright Stars and table-topping Leopards. Live Broadcast Information Viewers across the continent will follow the action on RTS, SuperSport, La Chaîne L’Equipe and BeIn Sports France, ensuring both diasporas and neutral fans can gauge Group B’s developing narrative in real time. South Sudan’s Immediate Stakes With three points from six outings, South Sudan’s priority is momentum. A home upset would move…

Floodwaters Overtake Old Fangak Weeks of torrential rain and an overflowing Nile have pushed water into Old Fangak County, Jonglei State, submerging homes, schools and clinics. Resident estimates suggest hundreds of families have left their villages since Sunday night. The sudden surge followed the collapse of a World Food Programme dyke built in 2023, creating channels that now swirl through once-fertile farmland and around the county airstrip. Voices from the High Ground : “The water surrounded us overnight,” said county coordinator James Kuach Catim by phone from Bor. “Those still inside sit on the dike; the rest have gone to…

South Sudan Doctors Salary Reform In a live Dawn Show interview on Eye Radio, Union Chair Dr. Zacharia Ajak urged government leaders to align doctors’ pay with East African averages, proposing up to $5,000 monthly for specialists and at least $1,700 for general practitioners. He argued that current earnings of 100,000-150,000 South Sudanese pounds—about $100-$150—cannot sustain families or motivate talent. South Sudan Health Budget Debate Dr. Ajak appealed to Parliament to raise the Ministry of Health allocation, stressing that salary adjustments require a larger, predictable envelope. Legislative hearings on the 2025⁄26 budget are expected later this month, according to parliamentary…

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…