Author: The South Sudan Herald

Tali Air Hub Revives National Connectivity Ambitions South Sudan’s plan to turn the remote Tali airstrip into a full international gateway has resurfaced, a decade after initial proposals, as officials seek to unlock economic corridors and support the envisaged national capital at Ramciel. Transport Minister Rizik Zakaria Hassan argues that improved aviation links could shorten emergency response times and attract private investors eyeing agriculture, oil and tourism opportunities across Central Equatoria and beyond. Chinese Roads and Bridges Corporation to Lead Studies Juba signed an MoU with state-owned Chinese Roads and Bridges Corporation, tasking a technical team to conduct comprehensive feasibility…

Market Safety in Focus Repeated blazes in Kuajok’s central bazaar have jolted local authorities into a thorough rethink of electrical safety. Faulty wiring, loosely hung cables and makeshift poles previously turned narrow alleys into tinderboxes, damaging stalls and rattling confidence among traders. Electrical Overhauls Planned Disaster-management director Mayom Dut Malek met the town mayor and generator owners to map a safer grid. He insisted on sturdier poles, certified wiring and compulsory changeover switches, noting that “electricity can be dangerous if supply is high or cables are weak.” Mayor John Maluil Ajing pledged door-to-door inspections of every shop, promising that aging…

Leadership Changes in Southern Unity On Monday, Acting SPLM-IO chairman Gen. Oyet Nathaniel Pierino unveiled four new county commissioners for southern Unity State, reinforcing the movement’s administrative reach amid the delicate implementation of South Sudan’s 2018 peace accord. Col. James Yoach Bading takes Leer, Col. Stephen Gai Riak Panyijiar, Col. Bany Makon Chany Koch, and Col. Tito Gatmai Puok Mayiandit, replacing predecessors and signaling what the headquarters calls “renewed grassroots energy.” Promotions Boost Military Cohesion Oyet’s order also elevates five officers, including the same newly posted commissioners, to colonel or lieutenant-colonel. The communiqué frames the move as “a reward for…

Bishops Sound Alarm Over New Tax Policy At the opening of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference in Malakal, Cardinal Stephen Ameyu Martin Mulla cautioned that recent taxes on church property and staff salaries could shrink already fragile welfare programs reaching South Sudan’s most vulnerable citizens. Dialogue Sought With Juba Authorities The prelate emphasised that the hierarchy has no official breakdown of the levies but intends to ‘engage government in good faith so that our charity work is not crippled by an unjust fiscal burden,’ reiterating the Church’s constitutional right to operate freely. Ad Limina Visit to Rome in Focus Ameyu revealed…

Lightning Reshuffle in South Sudan Oil Ministry A presidential decree broadcast on the state-run SSBC reassigned Dr. Chol Deng Thon Abel from undersecretary of petroleum to technical adviser in water resources, barely seven days after his swearing-in. Deng Lual was simultaneously restored to the post, with no official explanation given by Juba. Career Highlights of Dr. Chol Deng Thon Abel An engineer trained in Khartoum and Aberdeen, Dr. Chol previously steered the state-owned Nile Petroleum Corporation. He announced bids for fourteen new blocks, pledged local capacity building and targeted 2027 for national operators to assume control of Blocks Three and…

Renewed Shelling Rocks Pieri, Uror County Residents of Pieri in Uror County awoke to exploding artillery rounds on Monday, hours after rival SPLA-IO factions clashed on the town’s edge. Local MP Wany Bum Makhor accuses the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces of firing indiscriminately into the densely populated centre. Casualty Report Remains Preliminary Makhor’s statement, dated 10 November 2025, cites initial figures of one civilian killed and two wounded during the morning skirmish between Machar-aligned troops and the Kitgwang faction. He fears the afternoon shelling could raise the toll among Pieri’s estimated 18,000 inhabitants. Call for Tactical Withdrawal The MP…

Embassies Shuttered, Image at Stake News that Juba has closed several embassies from Washington to Ottawa has unsettled diplomats and citizens alike. Analysts warn the move limits consular services, dims investment prospects and signals a cash crunch that could erode international confidence. Foreign ministry officials cite cost-cutting, yet opposition figures brand the closures a symptom of wider fiscal mismanagement. The ministry has not disclosed savings projections, leaving room for speculation over whether the measure is temporary or part of a deeper diplomatic reset. Tax and Oil Revenues Under Scrutiny National Revenue Authority commissioner Simon Akuei Deng regularly highlights strong tax…

Nasir Case Enters Session 19 The Nasir incident trial reaches session 19, resuming Wednesday 12 November with Dr Riek Machar and seven defendants. The bench scheduled the day after finishing prosecution’s re-examination of the lead investigator Monday. Prosecutors Demand Witness Protection The prosecution has filed a motion requesting comprehensive witness protection, noting possible intimidation linked to upcoming testimonies. Suggested safeguards include anonymous testimony from a closed room inside Freedom Hall, security escorts and limited public disclosure. Interpreter Request and Defence Reply The prosecutors equally asked for a court-appointed interpreter to smooth translation. Defence counsel acknowledged receipt and promised a written…

Trust Deficit Weakens Cash Circulation South Sudan’s liquidity pinch has deepened, according to parliamentary finance chair Michael Ayuen, who links the shortage of banknotes to weakening confidence between commercial lenders and the Bank of South Sudan. Ayuen says some banks hesitate to lodge reserves at the central bank, fearing delayed access to their own funds when clients demand withdrawals, a hesitation he describes as “a deficit of trust.” Hoarding Magnifies Market Stress The mistrust spills into the streets as households and traders stash notes at home, draining vaults and automated tellers across Juba. High-value denominations, especially 1,000-pound bills, now trade…

The Birth of Kong Koc FM Ten years ago, Tonj town heard only conflicting rumours and sudden gunshots. Elders and peace activists dreamed of a single trusted voice to cool tempers. Inspired during a peace dialogue, Marko Madut Garang created Kong Koc 100.4 FM in 2012, supported by the Multi-Donor Trust Fund and land donated by Paramount Chief Ayii Agiu. Rumours that Killed, Facts that Heal Before the station, false reports of cattle raids spread faster than any messenger, triggering retaliatory attacks across Awul, Rualbet and Kirik. Daily broadcasts now debunk gossip in real time. Listeners such as tea seller…