Author: The South Sudan Herald

Mobile Court Revives Hope in Pibor In the remote Greater Pibor Administrative Area, lawlessness once felt routine. A United Nations–supported mobile court has now broken that pattern, travelling with judges, clerks and police to hear cases where crimes are committed, not in distant capitals. During a four-week sitting, the circuit heard 26 matters, including 16 criminal files linked to cattle raids, child abductions and sexual assaults, convicting five offenders and settling ten land disputes that fuel inter-communal tension. Community Response and Cultural Complexity Elders interviewed outside the tented courtroom said seeing verdicts announced publicly ‘restores broken hearts’ and discourages revenge…

Kiir’s Policy Address Under Scrutiny On 16 July, President Salva Kiir laid out an ambitious roadmap touching the economy, food security, peace dividends and the December 2024 elections, framing it as “a collective contract with our citizens,” according to the official transcript. Attendance Row Stalls Legislative Review When the Select Committee tabled its report on Wednesday, only four of 35 ministers occupied the government benches, prompting SPLM legislator Elizabeth Adut to request adjournment, arguing the house could not interrogate policy without those mandated to implement it. Speaker’s Call for Accountability Speaker Jemma Nunu Kumba concurred, directing the parliamentary affairs minister…

A Call Beyond the Ballot Box On the bustling Juba campus, third-year student Chol Alier Dit voiced a measured plea: national progress cannot hinge solely on periodic voting. He told The Dawn that enduring development demands constant civic participation, transparent governance and shared responsibility. Institutions as Pillars of Progress Alier argues elections succeed only when anchored by credible institutions such as legislatures, courts, political parties and an independent electoral commission. Without the rule of law and sound economic policy, he cautions, ballot victories can morph into frustration rather than prosperity. Managing Expectations Among Citizens Fixating on voting dates, he says,…

Wun-Aliet Peacekeeping Training Centre Opens South Sudan officially unveiled the Wun-Aliet Peacekeeping Training Centre on 13 August 2025, marking a decisive investment in professionalising the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces. The facility, northwest of Juba, aims to prepare troops for regional and UN deployments. Top Brass Signal Strategic Priority Chief of Defence Forces Gen. Dau Aturjong Nyuol led senior officers at the ceremony, flanked by Central Equatoria Governor Emmanuel Rabi Majung. “We expect commitment, resilience and perseverance,” Gen. Dau told 600 recruits, stressing that discipline will shape South Sudan’s international reputation. Community Blessing Strengthens Legitimacy A traditional cleansing ritual by…

Mogiri cattle market attack: latest facts Eight people were killed and eight wounded on 6 August after gunmen stormed Mogiri cattle market in Central Equatoria, shocking traders and residents. Among the dead were six Murle cattle dealers and two soldiers who had escorted the convoy, according to local authorities. Security forces widen search radius Information Minister Jacob Werchum Juok said joint police-military teams are combing Mogiri, Mangala and remote bush tracks believed to hide the raiders. He told reporters the operation aims to detain suspects alive, collect weapons and reconstruct the route used by the attackers. Eyewitness clues and early…

Blueprint for a Digital Marketplace South Sudan’s Ministry of Trade and Industry unveiled the nation’s first e-commerce strategy this week in Juba, presenting a roadmap to widen digital access and spur inclusive growth. Empowering MSMEs and Youth Entrepreneurs Officials say the blueprint prioritises micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises through digital marketing training, national online marketplaces, and easier links to African Continental Free Trade Area opportunities. Atong Kuol Manyang Juuk, Minister of Trade and Industry, argued that equipping entrepreneurs with modern tools can ‘unlock the full potential of our people and markets.’ Bridging Infrastructure Gaps High connectivity costs, unstable power and…

A Quiet Diagnosis, A Loud Resolve Marie*, 49, first learned she was HIV-positive in 2009 at a Brazzaville mobile clinic. The news shocked her, yet she quickly chose resilience. “I will not surrender; my children need me,” she recalls, voice steady after years of counselling support. Shifting Donor Winds and Local Realities For sixteen years she has adhered to antiretroviral therapy supplied through the national programme and partners such as PEPFAR. Recent announcements of reduced external envelopes, however, stirred anxiety in waiting rooms across the country. Health economists note that Congo still depends on donors for roughly half of its…

AP Report Sparks Controversy An Associated Press scoop on Tuesday claimed Israel had floated the idea of relocating some Gaza residents to South Sudan, citing six anonymous officials. The report landed amid heightened concern over Gaza’s humanitarian toll, alleging that discussions formed part of a broader Israeli strategy to promote voluntary emigration from the enclave. Juba Issues Firm Rebuttal Less than 24 hours later, South Sudan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs labelled the story “baseless”, insisting no talks with Tel Aviv had occurred over Palestinian resettlement. “The government has never entertained such an initiative,” spokesperson Amb. Monday Semaya Kumba told local…

Surge of Returnees Reaches Torit Torit town in Eastern Equatoria woke to an emotional scene this week as 367 South Sudanese stepped off dust-caked trucks and footpaths, ending a gruelling escape from Kenya’s Kakuma Refugee Camp after abrupt food-ration reductions. Local officials confirmed the arrivals on Tuesday and Wednesday, noting that most travelers belonged to categories three and four, the groups whose assistance the World Food Programme suspended in September amid global funding gaps. Perilous 600-Kilometre Walk Returnees recounted walking nearly 600 kilometres from Kakuma through Lokichogio to the Nadapal frontier, scraping water from dry riverbeds and sleeping in thorn…

Flood Alert Across the Nile Basin Sirens have not sounded, yet satellite images already show vast swaths of Jonglei and Upper Nile darkening with water. United Nations teams forecast that 1.6 million people could see their homes submerged between July and October. Many villagers remember 2019’s ankle-deep floods; this season, engineers predict chest-high waters. Some dikes built after independence have collapsed, ushering streams toward Pibor, Bentiu and Wau. Communities Face Food and Water Pressures As cropland disappears beneath murky sheets, the price of a sorghum sack in Bor has doubled in six months. Market vendors report supply trucks stranded on…