Author: The South Sudan Herald

Political Reshuffle in Juba President Salva Kiir shook South Sudan’s political landscape by replacing four senior SPLM-IO lawmakers in the transitional legislature on 16 April, arguing the move would “invigorate parliamentary performance,” according to a statement read on state television. The reshuffle removed First Deputy Speaker Oyet Nathaniel, Council of States Speaker Deng Deng Akon, chief whip Faruk Gatkuoth and secretary general Regina Kaba, all close allies of detained First Vice-President Dr. Riek Machar. Opposition Voices React SPLM-IO representative to the United States, Isaac K. Gang, labelled the dismissals “the final nail in the coffin of the Revitalized Peace Agreement,”…

Jonglei State Signals Humanitarian Reset On Wednesday in Juba, Governor Dr. Riek Gai Kok confirmed Jonglei’s plan to work closely with the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, aiming to clear bottlenecks that slow food, medicine and shelter to communities battered by years of recurrent floods. “Food must reach the people who need it most,” the governor insisted, underlining a policy shift toward performance-based partnerships that reward agencies able to document transparent, inclusive distribution networks. Floods Amplify Urgency for Equitable Relief Weeks of heavy rain have submerged croplands along the White Nile, displacing whole villages and heightening…

Governance Reshuffle in Jonglei State The office of Governor Dr Riek Gai Kok confirmed on Tuesday the establishment of Pawuoi Payam, carved from the larger Nyuak Payam in Twic East County. Aluel Town, a growing market hub, becomes the seat of the new administrative unit. The state decree cites the Transitional Constitution and the 2009 Local Government Act, mandating consultations with chiefs and residents to decide how many bomas will fall under Pawuoi’s jurisdiction. Unity Question Within Nyuak Communities Daniel Majok, a spokesperson for Nyuak Payam, said opinions split quickly. Awulian, the smallest of three communities, gains autonomy, while Darchuek…

Sudden Political Upheaval in Juba President Salva Kiir’s mid-week decrees removed several senior SPLM-IO figures from parliament and the Council of States, triggering fresh tension inside South Sudan’s delicate unity government formed under the 2018 Revitalised Agreement. The dismissals affect Speaker Deng Deng, First Deputy Speaker Oyet Nathaniel, and Chief Whip Farouk Gatkuoth, all close allies of First Vice-President Dr. Riek Machar. Presidential Decrees Spark Opposition Alarm Acting SPLM-IO foreign relations chair Reath Muoch Tang condemned the move as “a systematic campaign to dismantle the peace agreement,” insisting no prior consultation occurred within the coalition. Muoch argued that unilateral changes…

Presidential Decrees Reshape Western Equatoria An evening decree read on national television swiftly removed Western Equatoria’s deputy governor, Daniel Badagbu Rimbasa, after barely ten months in office. President Salva Kiir appointed opposition figure Justin Joseph Marona, signaling a recalibration of power inside the unity administration (SSBC broadcast). Badagbu is a senior member of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement, the party that shares power with the SPLM-IO under the 2018 accord. Observers said the dismissal reduces SPLM-IO influence in a strategic border state vital for agricultural recovery and cross-border trade. Ambassadors Recalled Amid Foreign Policy Reset Kiir’s pen also reached beyond…

Commissioner Enforces Local Government Act Bor County commissioner James Gai Makor invoked powers under South Sudan’s 2009 Local Government Act to sack three chiefs of Goi Boma on 12 August. His order followed a signed letter in which the chiefs rejected their area’s transfer into the newly formed Chueikeer Payam. Chiefs Voice Community Concerns Speaking from Bor, dismissed chief Angeth Noon said the letter reflected a wider village mandate rather than personal opposition. “Our people fear being dragged into unresolved clashes inside Chueikeer,” he told local reporters, insisting the community first wants peace talks before any new administrative alignment. Historical…

Deputy Governor Decree for Western Equatoria Juba’s political corridors buzzed last night after President Salva Kiir appointed Justin Joseph Marona as Deputy Governor of Western Equatoria State, replacing Daniel Badgabu Rimbasa. The republican decree, broadcast on state television, marks the second leadership change for the region in twelve months. Who Is Justin Joseph Marona? Until yesterday, Marona chaired the Public Accounts Committee in the Transitional National Legislative Assembly, earning recognition for forensic scrutiny of spending reports. Educated in economics at the University of Juba, he joined SPLM-IO in 2014 and survived the 2016 conflict flare-up. Tensions within SPLM-IO His elevation…

Abu Dhabi Accord Signals Financial Upgrade Flags of both nations fluttered over the UAE Central Bank as Governor Dr. Addis Ababa Othow and counterpart Saif Humaid Al Dhaheri inked the memorandum of understanding. Vice-President Dr. Benjamin Bol Mel called the signing “a strategic milestone for our young economy.” Secure Payment Rails at the Core The MoU centres on building advanced card-processing infrastructure resilient against fraud. Emirati engineers will share expertise on tokenisation, instant settlement, and cyber-defence, positioning South Sudan’s banks to clear transactions in real time. Boosting Security Printing Capacity Juba currently outsources most currency and document printing. Under the…

Early Morning Gathering in Juba On Saturday 30 August 2025, Juba’s streets will echo to the steady rhythm of hundreds of walkers setting off from All Saints’ Cathedral at 7:00 AM. Organisers expect families, athletes and clergy to cover a scenic route before returning by 9:00 AM. Health Meets Faith and Fitness The Primates’ Health Walk showcases a double objective: promoting physical fitness and reinforcing the cathedral’s role as a social anchor. “Well-being is worship in motion,” says Reverend Samuel Pitia, citing rising lifestyle-related illnesses among urban youth. Building for Generations Funds raised during the 10:00 AM to noon appeal…

Mobile Court Revives Hope in Pibor In the remote Greater Pibor Administrative Area, lawlessness once felt routine. A United Nations–supported mobile court has now broken that pattern, travelling with judges, clerks and police to hear cases where crimes are committed, not in distant capitals. During a four-week sitting, the circuit heard 26 matters, including 16 criminal files linked to cattle raids, child abductions and sexual assaults, convicting five offenders and settling ten land disputes that fuel inter-communal tension. Community Response and Cultural Complexity Elders interviewed outside the tented courtroom said seeing verdicts announced publicly ‘restores broken hearts’ and discourages revenge…