Author: The South Sudan Herald

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…

Water Yard Changes Daily Routines The new water yard in Hai Jedid Boma now serves hundreds of homes, cutting the trek for water from hours to minutes. Residents describe smaller queues, safer storage and fewer waterborne illnesses. Women Drive Economic Upswing Vegetable plots and mango nurseries ring the pump area, managed mainly by women. Chairlady Ajok Kot says monthly earnings of roughly 40,000 SSP help pay school fees and fund pump maintenance. Green Vision Takes Root Seedlings sell locally for 10,000 SSP, turning climate action into cash. Community members note cooler yards and restored topsoil as shade trees mature. Collaborative…

Surge of Displacement in Western Equatoria Community leaders say more than 30,000 people left their homes after military operations in Greater Mundri, Western Equatoria State, South Sudan. Families walked through dense forest to reach Lui town, seeking safety as gunfire echoed behind them. Displaced Families Seek Safety in Lui Sheltering inside churches and classrooms, mainly women, children and elderly survivors share scant food and sleep on bare floors. Local volunteers report that water points are overcrowded and clinics lack medicine, raising fears of malnutrition and disease outbreaks. Residents Accuse Soldiers of Looting Several residents accuse South Sudan People’s Defence Forces…

2025 Flood Emergency in South Sudan In October 2025 almost one million South Sudanese are stranded on muddy islands after swollen rivers submerged entire towns, from Bentiu to Bor. Yet in Juba, decision-makers debate budget lines rather than floodwalls, even though oil fields have earned roughly 20 billion dollars since 2005—income that could have financed defences, clinics and roads. Oil Wealth Versus Widespread Poverty World Bank projections suggest 92 percent of citizens may live below the poverty line in 2025, an incongruity for a state ranked third in sub-Saharan oil reserves. A UN review of the Oil for Roads scheme,…

Eastern Equatoria Tightens Mining Oversight Eastern Equatoria State in South Sudan has issued a sweeping directive barring foreign nationals from unlicensed mining and logging operations. The order, endorsed at the latest State Council of Ministers meeting, follows months of intelligence reports linking unauthorised extraction sites to rising insecurity around forest communities. Security Concerns Drive the Ban Information Minister John Elia Alhaji told reporters that armed groups have used isolated pits and logging camps as cover, jeopardising villagers and wildlife. He stressed, “No foreigner is allowed to conduct artisanal mining or any business in our forests without official authorization from the…