Author: The South Sudan Herald

High-Level Mission Reconnects Neighbours A South Sudanese delegation led by presidential adviser Tut Gatluak Manime flew into Port Sudan this week, carrying a letter from President Salva Kiir to General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan. Officials described the visit as a reset for two states buffeted by separate internal conflicts. Foreign Minister Monday Semaya Kumba said the mission aimed to “reinforce ties that guarantee mutual survival.” Meetings with Sudan’s vice-president, prime minister and senior generals unfolded over two days, culminating in a joint communiqué. Oil Infrastructure at Heglig Returns to Spotlight Fighting between the Rapid Support Forces and the Sudanese Armed Forces…

New Directive Targets Tinted Windows and RHD Cars Major-General Kon John Akot, Director General of South Sudan’s Traffic Police, has instructed motorists to remove window tints, convert right-hand-drive vehicles to left-hand control, and reposition minibus sliding doors to the right side. The order, announced in Juba on Wednesday, grants a seven-day grace period before full enforcement. After that deadline, officers will impose fines or impound vehicles that fail to meet the newly restated standards. Legal Roots in 2019 Cabinet Resolution General Akot links the clampdown to a 2019 Cabinet resolution and a 2020 Trade and Industry order that standardised vehicle…

Family Appeals for Swift Justice Inside a small Juba home, relatives of Afrobeat singer Akot Lual Hou, known as Matuongdit, weigh every phone ring with hope. Since his 10 November arrest, they say his absence has drained both wallets and spirits (Radio Tamazuj). Brother Tong Atak Lual describes the artist as the family’s lone breadwinner and a caring father whose children crave his guidance during the festive season. Detention Raises Rule-of-Law Concerns Civil society leader Deng Bol Deng argues the case highlights systemic gaps in South Sudan’s young justice architecture, where suspects can languish without charge despite constitutional guarantees. He…

What the Proclamation Says The new United States presidential proclamation, released on the White House website, adds twenty-four nations to layered travel restrictions, citing inadequate information-sharing and high visa overstay rates that allegedly pose security risks to American borders. Under the measure, eight countries, including Burkina Faso and South Sudan, face a full entry suspension, while sixteen others such as Nigeria and Tanzania encounter limited bans on business, tourism, student and exchange visas. Countries Facing Full Suspension Washington points to terrorism threats, armed conflict, and refusal to repatriate deportees to justify complete blocks on Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, Sierra Leone…

Life on the Expanding Sudd Wetland At daybreak, Akuak fishers slide dugout canoes between papyrus walls, skimming water that now covers what elders once called firm ground. Their huts, balanced on hand-built islands, dot labyrinthine channels of the White Nile. Survival here depends on constant engineering, deft nets and an intimate reading of the river. The local term toich describes this watery grassland. Researchers at the Norwegian Foreign Policy Institute rank South Sudan among Africa’s flood hotspots, warning that consecutive, record-breaking inundations have altered seasonal rhythms and rewritten maps. What once dried between November and January now lingers, swelling the…

Journalist Safety Takes Centre Stage in Aweil Thirty reporters from Northern Bahr el Ghazal gathered at Aweil Grand Hotel for a three-day UNESCO and UJOSS workshop on safety during crises and elections. Trainers reviewed risk mapping, digital security and first-aid basics, anchoring the curriculum on UNESCO’s flagship journalists’ protection modules. Participants cited past threats in border areas as proof that rigorous preparation saves lives and stories. “We cannot inform citizens if we are silenced by fear,” said radio reporter Grace Atem, echoing a sentiment shared across the room. Push for Broader Pre-Election Training Broadcast journalist Sidonia Daniel Dumo urged partners…

Parliament Eyes Postponed Break In Juba, lawmakers are weighing a holiday recess that should have begun 13 December. The Transitional National Legislative Assembly is waiting for President Salva Kiir’s guidance before packing up or proceeding with urgent fiscal work. Budget Draft Still Unresolved Speaker Jemma Nunu Kumba confirmed that the 2025/2026 draft budget arrived at the assembly but remains untouched on the order paper. She hinted that debate and passage could override any immediate plans for rest. Pressure mounts because South Sudan is now the only East African state running without an approved fiscal blueprint, while neighbours already plan next…

Background to the 2026 Election Date South Sudan’s political calendar again pivots around a single date: December 2026, the timetable set for long-awaited national elections. In a widely read commentary, scholar Dr. Luka Biong asked whether that vote can realistically occur, mapping legal deadlines and institutional gaps (Radio Tamazuj, 12 Dec 2025). Legal Constraints or Political Choices? Observers agree that statutes alone do not stall ballots; rather, the ruling coalition’s calculations decide how fast laws are amended. Parliament has demonstrated swift unanimity when budgets or cabinet reshuffles demanded urgency, revealing that procedural congestion is selective, not structural. Dr. Luka’s emphasis…

Hotel Star Ratings Arrive in South Sudan Juba’s Ministry of Wildlife Conservation and Tourism has introduced a formal one-to-five-star rating for hotels, lodges and guest houses. Officials say the measure, launched this week, mirrors the East African Community framework and is designed to lift hospitality quality nationwide. Aligning with East African Community Benchmarks Minister Denay Jock Chagor noted that common criteria will help South Sudanese establishments compete regionally while assuring travellers of predictable standards. He emphasised that the country can only thrive in tourism by “speaking the same language of quality” as its neighbours (Minister Chagor). Protecting Guests and Workers…

Holiday Security Measures Across the Country Maj. Gen. Monday Anoka told delegates in Juba that the South Sudan National Police Service has bolstered patrols across markets, churches and highways to deter theft and armed crime ahead of Christmas (Standard Zone News). Command posts will monitor urban hotspots day and night, while officers at roadblocks will conduct quick checks to keep traffic flowing and reassure travellers, Anoka explained, urging residents to keep calm and share information with the nearest police unit immediately. Firm Legal Stand Against Hate Speech Speaking at the National Conference on Combating Hate Speech and Strengthening Social Cohesion,…