Author: The South Sudan Herald

Election Countdown Begins South Sudan is scheduled to hold its first general election since independence in December 2026. The poll is widely regarded as the final milestone of the 2018 peace agreement, tasked with ushering the young nation from transitional governance to a permanent constitutional order. Historic Numbers Versus Current Realities South Sudan’s National Elections Commission is considering basing the 2026 vote on the 2008 census and 2010 constituencies, frameworks designed before independence. Seventeen years later, urbanisation, displacement and returning refugees have reshaped the demographic map. Concerns Raised by Rights Advocates The South Sudan Human Rights Defenders Network argues that…

South Sudan Child Soldiers Crisis More than a decade after independence, South Sudanese children are still being pushed to front lines, activists warn, turning classrooms into recruiting grounds and jeopardising national recovery. Parliamentarian Samuel Buhori Lotti says armed groups keep abducting minors despite existing laws, adding that motions summoning defence and interior ministers stalled amid court proceedings but will return to the agenda. Government Commitment to Renewed Action Plan National DDR coordinator Oluku Andrew affirms the state intends to renew the Comprehensive Action Plan that lapsed in October 2025, stressing that safeguarding the young is “a shared national responsibility”. According…

Conference Raises Stakes In Juba, a three-day Women, Peace and Security conference gathered officials, activists and donors to evaluate two decades of gender commitments and chart fresh action for South Sudan’s fragile peace. Opening the forum, Ministry of Gender representative Joyce Ayoub warned that visibility without agency risks becoming symbolic décor rather than substantive power for women. Policy to Practice Gap Ayoub asked whether women occupying uniforms or offices truly steer decisions, pressing ministries to measure influence instead of headcounts. She urged a pivot from drafting strategies to funding programmes that strengthen skills, networks and authority across all government levels.…

Shattering Expectations South Sudan’s visually impaired footballers arrived in Kampala as unknowns. Under Hamz Stadium floodlights, they defeated Uganda 3–0, then blanked Zimbabwe 2–0, stunning neutrals and earning six points on day one. Ticket to Las Vegas The double clean sheet instantly booked the team’s seat at the upcoming World Blind Football Championships in Las Vegas, a milestone for a nation debuting in the discipline. Crafting Success Coaches credit months of silent-ball drills and orientation training held on Juba’s dusty pitches for the side’s sharp spatial awareness and composure, despite limited resources. Pride and Purpose “This triumph shows what determination…

High-Stakes Juba Trial Resumes The special court in Juba resumed its 15th sitting at Freedom Hall, dissecting the March 2025 Nasir assault that left more than 200 soldiers dead. Suspended First Vice President Riek Machar and seven co-accused listen behind glass as prosecutors outline charges of mass murder and treason. Disappearance of Four Allies Sparks Alarm Defense lawyer Kur Lual Kur stunned the hall by declaring that four men seized during Machar’s house arrest in March had vanished. “They have neither been released nor presented here,” he insisted, naming Mark Dhieu, Par Dang, Kuok Dang and Hoth Choc. Defense Queries…

Special Court Session Reopens in Juba Juba’s Special Court reopened its fifteenth session on Monday, pressing ahead with the high-profile prosecution of suspended First Vice-President Dr. Riek Machar and seven co-accused. Two defendants missed the sitting, with defense counsel citing medical complications. Presiding Judge James Alala allowed defense lawyers to continue cross-examining chief investigator Major General Basilio Thomas Wani, who doubles as Northern Bahr el Ghazal Police Commissioner. Focus on Residence Search and Seized Funds Defense questions focused on the single search conducted at Machar’s Juba residence. Basilio admitted he never received an Attorney General search warrant and said National…

Life on the Hoof in Greater Pibor Cattle loom large in Greater Pibor, where herds function as bank, pantry and bridal dowry. An illness sweeping through a kraal can erase years of labour in days, so animal health equals household security. Partnerships Driving the Vaccination Push This season, African Parks and government wildlife officers partnered with Eye Radio’s Rumble in the Jungle campaign to treat 10,000 cattle across the Boma landscape. The outreach builds on February’s initial drive, bringing the number of vaccinated and dewormed animals to nearly forty-thousand, a record for communities once isolated by distance and seasonal floods.…

Sudanese Sweep Draws Fire Juba residents were jolted this month after more than 100 South Sudanese women were deported from Khartoum without their children, igniting a diplomatic flurry between the two Sudans. Khartoum insists the drive is a routine security sweep designed to regulate all foreigners, rejecting accusations of ethnic profiling. Embassy Defends Unified Security Campaign In a statement published in Juba, the Sudanese Embassy stressed that “recent measures… did not in any way target South Sudanese citizens” and form part of a nationwide plan to stabilise Khartoum. Diplomats highlighted existing laws governing entry, stay and employment, arguing the operation…

South Sudan Rumour Culture In Juba, gossip now moves faster than traffic. Political stalemates, unpaid invoices or even coffee-stained keyboards are instantly pinned on the influential Awiir surname. South Sudan’s public sphere has drifted into a state where a whisper often enjoys more airtime than a document. Verification Crisis in Newsrooms The obsession with viral posts has sidelined basic fact-checking. Reporters rush to publish collages of anonymous whispers, often without documents, cross-checks or a right of reply. In this environment, sensation replaces record, and accusations circulate with no protective layer of evidence. Misinformation’s Hidden Costs Unverified claims damage reputations yet…

Cold War Roots, Modern Stakes Uganda’s security partnership with Russia dates back to the 1960s, yet fresh impetus arrived this week with a $53 million delivery of armored assets. President Yoweri Museveni hailed Moscow as “a historic and very good friend of Africa,” underscoring continuity in Kampala’s east-west balancing act. What the $53 Million Brings Official figures released in Kampala value the new vehicles, spares and electronic systems at about 200 billion Ugandan shillings. Russian envoy Vladlen Semivolos confirmed the package was a grant, describing it as “a practical demonstration of strategic solidarity” between the two countries. Magamaga Repair Hub…