Author: The South Sudan Herald

Justice Stakeholders Plan National Conference Juba’s legal community is preparing for a nationwide Criminal Justice Conference designed to refresh South Sudan’s justice architecture and build consensus on overdue procedural reforms. The Bar Association will co-organise the dialogue with the judiciary, placing the Criminal Procedure Act at the centre of deliberations. High-Level Meeting Sets Reform Agenda Details emerged after Justice Minister Dr. Joseph Geng Akech met Bar Association President Arop Maliuth and council members in Juba, signalling government backing for a structured review of court processes. Officials say the conference will gather judges, prosecutors, defenders and civil society to examine bottlenecks…

Crackdown Highlights Northern Route Tensions South Sudan has intensified checks along its northern frontier amid fears that the country is becoming a key conduit for irregular migration out of the Horn of Africa. The latest arrests of 17 Eritreans illustrate both the scale of the flow and Juba’s evolving response. Border Vigilance in Aweil Authorities in Aweil intercepted 14 Eritreans, 13 men and a woman, as they tried to reach Sudan without papers, Director General Elia Costa Faustino confirmed. The group, now in Juba, faces charges under the Immigration Act. Second Arrest near Paloch Days later, security personnel detained two…

UN Delegation Touches Down in Juba Under-Secretary-General Jean-Pierre Lacroix landed in South Sudan’s capital Wednesday, leading a senior UN team assessing peacekeeping needs amid an unprecedented funding crunch (Eye Radio). He was welcomed by Ambassador Kureng Akuei of the Foreign Affairs Ministry and Deputy Special Representative Anita Kiki Gbeho, underscoring collaboration between Juba and the United Nations. Budget Shortfall Forces Global Troop Cuts A $1.3 billion gap has compelled the UN to order a 25 percent reduction in uniformed personnel across nine of its eleven active missions, the steepest retrenchment in recent memory (Eye Radio). Washington has indicated it will…

South Sudan’s Fiscal Warning Lights Economist Bec George Anyak, writing for the independent Sudd Institute, argues that Juba risks an outright budget meltdown because oil-funded savings vehicles created by the 2013 Petroleum Revenue Management Act remain dormant (Sudd Institute, 2025). The think-tank warns that, without immediate policy action, debt-service costs could eclipse the country’s entire net oil income within a few years, squeezing funds for salaries, security and humanitarian programmes. Oil Revenue Laws Under Scrutiny The Petroleum Revenue Management Act mandates both a Stabilization Account and a Future Generations Fund, designed to collect surpluses during price booms and cushion shocks.…

A High-Profile Walkthrough Governor General Sheriff Daniel Sheriff stepped into Jaw Market this week, greeting butchers and grocers whose goods feed most of Western Bahr el Ghazal. His first inspection of the hub drew cabinet officials and security officers, underscoring the market’s economic weight. Import Costs and Layered Taxes Local chamber chairman Wol Charles Aleu explained that nearly all staples roll in from neighbouring states, gathering levies along each checkpoint. By arrival, multiple tariffs have already piled onto flour, sugar and fuel, inflating shelf prices before municipal dues add more. Traders Voice Daily Strain Vendor Makungu Edward described price swings…

Sudden Passing in Indian Hospital Raila Odinga, 80, suffered a cardiac arrest during a morning walk at an Ayurvedic clinic in Kochi, Kerala, on Wednesday. Doctors transferred him to a nearby facility, yet he was pronounced dead shortly after 9 a.m. local time (Reuters). Aide sources confirmed his presence in India for treatment of an undisclosed ailment. Kenyan outlets, citing the Indian daily Mathrubhumi, broke the news before any official statement from his family or Nairobi authorities, sparking an immediate wave of online tributes. A Half-Century at the Heart of Kenyan Politics Born in Maseno in 1945 to independence veteran…

Nhial Deng’s Dramatic Departure South Sudan’s political landscape shifted as veteran statesman Nhial Deng Nhial froze his membership in the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement and unveiled a reformist platform. In an 18-page declaration shared with Radio Tamazuj, the former foreign minister accused the ruling elite of betraying the ideals that guided the 2011 independence project. Roots of Discontent within SPLM Nhial cited entrenched corruption, persistent insecurity and postponed elections, arguing that citizens feel increasingly detached from a party he described as “comatose.” Observers note that the 2018 Revitalised Agreement remains only partly implemented, fuelling skepticism about the government’s readiness for…

New Cabinet Members Take Oath in Juba Smiles and cautious applause filled the Freedom Hall in Juba as President Salva Kiir placed Bibles and Korans in the hands of five newly appointed ministers and senior executives on Monday, sealing their oath of office before cameras and lawmakers. The group includes East African Community Affairs Minister Pieng Deng Kuol, Wildlife Conservation and Tourism Minister Denay Jock Chagor, Transport Minister Rizik Zachariah Hassan, Deputy Defence Minister James Koang Chuol and Upper Nile Governor Jacob Dollar Ruot. President Kiir’s Call for Unified Progress Addressing the ceremony, Kiir described the appointments as “a call…

Chinese Officer Earns Dual UN Honours Chinese police officer Zhao Huan has received both the United Nations Peace Medal and an excellence award after a demanding year in South Sudan’s capital, Juba, where intermittent clashes and disease outbreaks test every blue helmet. Life Inside a Ten-Square-Metre Container On arrival during the mosquito-heavy rainy season, Zhao shared a weather-beaten container no bigger than ten square metres; leaks, damp walls and a persistent musty smell challenged her health, causing severe skin rashes and sleepless nights. Calm Diplomacy under Fire When a deadly riot erupted at UN IDP Camp Three on 8 July…

Legal Path Chosen by USAP Faction Facing a deepening leadership crisis, a faction of the United Sudan African Party says it will file a lawsuit to clarify who legitimately heads the movement after the 2021 death of long-time chairman Joseph Ukel. Secretary for Legal Affairs Bullen Isaiah announced the legal strategy in Juba, reading a statement signed by Acting Chairperson Professor Ajang Bior Duot during a weekend press conference. Dueling Claims to the Chair Isaiah alleges that Deputy Justice Minister Joseph Malek Arop seized the party seal by force and registered USAP in his own name, violating internal rules and…