Author: The South Sudan Herald

Courtroom Pause Draws Fresh Attention The special court in Juba on Friday paused its high-profile Nasir incident proceedings, postponing the 11th session to Monday, 19 October 2025, after a dense day of evidence presentation. Suspended First Vice President Dr Riek Machar and seven co-accused listened as prosecutors tabled documents and digital files purportedly detailing the 2014 violence in Nasir. Prosecution Builds Narrative With New Evidence Major General Basilio Wani, the lead investigator, summarised the case, saying that charges were lodged by the Legal Investigation Department in Central Equatoria State and supported by security-service complaints. “The exhibits tell their own story,”…

Roots of the Tonj Dispute Political tension engulfed the Tonj community in Juba after its graduates’ union publicly withdrew confidence in community chairperson Andrew Kuac Mayol. The rare rebuke followed Mayol’s criticism of veteran politician Nhial Deng Nhial for pausing his SPLM membership and founding the South Sudan Salvation Movement, remarks some members deemed partisan. Graduates’ Union Statement In a document titled “Clarification and Withdrawal of Confidence,” the graduates accused Mayol of abusing office, breaching trust, and politicising a cultural association. They argued that the community must remain neutral and that no leader can condemn members for exercising constitutional freedoms…

Household Budgets and Period Care Gender advocates across the region say monthly supplies belong beside rice and soap on every shopping list. Including sanitary pads in regular budgets, they argue, tackles period stigma at the root and safeguards girls’ dignity and health. Many men still overlook the cost of pads for daughters, nieces, or wards, leaving young women to improvise and miss school days. Advocates insist this hidden expense deserves the same priority as any other essential household item. Doctors Call for Male Engagement Obstetrician and gynaecological oncologist Dr Idyoro Ojukwu voiced concern on Eye Radio’s Dawn programme on 17…

Deputy Speaker Orders Joint Investigation Deputy Speaker Parmena Awerial Aluong directed four parliamentary committees to verify claims that more than 100 South Sudanese women were expelled from Sudan without their infants, an issue raised during an extraordinary sitting in Juba on Thursday. He instructed the panels on Foreign Affairs, Humanitarian Affairs, Human Rights, and Defense and Security to work with the Foreign Ministry and present urgent findings. Accounts from the Border Town of Renk Renk Commissioner Diing Deng Lueth reported that Sudanese security forces detained women in Khartoum, placed them on buses southward, and isolated them from children during transit,…

World Bank-Funded Transformation Begins Governor Dr Riek Gai Kok confirmed that Jonglei’s Health System Transformation Project, financed by the World Bank through UNICEF, is moving to its recruitment phase. He spoke during a routine inspection of Bor State Hospital, outlining plans to hire skilled staff for frontline facilities. Five medical specialists will form the first cohort, bolstering surgery, paediatrics, obstetrics, internal medicine and emergency care. Dr Kok said the investment aims to position Bor as a regional referral centre, easing pressure on Juba Teaching Hospital. Specialists Expected to Cut Referrals “With these doctors on board, we anticipate a sharp decline…

National Elections Body Rallies Young Voters Barnaba Mayor Deng, who heads public outreach at the National Elections Commission, used a youth dialogue in Juba to urge young South Sudanese to “own the democratic process” by voting and seeking office, echoing constitutional guarantees. The forum, organised by Democracy Reporting International with UN electoral advisers and EU backing, marked the start of a nationwide drive that aims to turn a demographic majority into an informed civic force. Six Civic Modules Target Awareness Deng outlined six training modules covering democracy, elections, human rights, peace-building, inclusive participation and public governance, saying the curriculum simplifies…

Financial transparency sets new benchmark The South Sudan Football Federation says gate takings from October’s qualifiers hit 172.79 million SSP, a first-of-its-kind disclosure aimed at anchoring financial integrity across the sport, finance committee chair Gatjang Matiok Nhal told journalists in Juba. Receipts show 156.85 million SSP flowed from the Senegal fixture on 10 October, while the Togo encounter three days later added 15.94 million SSP, cementing Juba National Stadium’s status as a lucrative venue for the Bright Stars. Record crowds embrace renovated stadium More than 20,000 supporters, according to security estimates, filled the newly refurbished stands for each match, lured…

Persistent Abductions Haunt Jonglei and GPAA Officials in Jonglei State report 591 women and children abducted between 2014 and 2025, underscoring a stubborn trend of violence in South Sudan’s east (Sudans Post). Each figure represents a family fractured, a community forced to cope with uncertainty and fear. Infrastructure and Insecurity Complicate Rescue Efforts State Minister Kuol Choul attributes slow reunifications to insecurity, impassable roads and patchy mobile networks. Volunteers often travel for days, navigating rival militia areas, to confirm a single child’s identity. Limited funds mean every mission demands new negotiations with transporters and local chiefs. Government Actions and Local…

Change of Command at Bilpham HQ At Bilpham headquarters on Thursday, President Salva Kiir Mayardit presided over a ceremonial change of command, confirming Dr. Paul Nang Majok as Chief of Defence Forces, succeeding Gen. Dau Aturjong Nyuol. The ceremony signalled continuity at the helm of the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces. Constitutional Neutrality Emphasised Addressing senior officers, Kiir reminded the ranks that “the gun must never govern politics.” He directed the army to defend territory, citizens and property while refraining from partisan activity, a stance he framed as essential to the country’s fragile peace process. Discipline and Professional Reform Agenda…

Unity State Kaikang Clash Details Fresh gunfire in Kaikang village, Unity State, has put renewed focus on the fragile unification of South Sudan’s rival forces. Witnesses reported an exchange between VIP Protection Unit elements aligned with SPLA-IO and troops of the SSPDF early Wednesday. The brief battle follows a similar incident near Abyei last week, underscoring persistent mistrust even after the 2018 revitalized agreement designed to fold former rebels into a single command structure. Conflicting Accounts from Forces and Government SPLA-IO Sector Two spokesman Kerbino Yai Pazale said his men were ambushed while resting beneath trees en route to Tong…