Author: The South Sudan Herald

Early Marriage Statistics in South Sudan In South Sudan, nearly one in two girls marries before 18, UNICEF reports. For many, the ceremony signals the end of school and the start of economic uncertainty. Poverty, customary norms and dowry expectations keep the practice resilient, especially in rural counties where a daughter’s bride wealth cushions household budgets. Personal Journeys of Resilience Gloria Ayen Mayom became a bride at 17 after an unplanned pregnancy. Five years of informal jobs followed before she funded her own return to class and is now pursuing a diploma. “Education is the only husband that cannot leave…

Growing Voices Ahead of 2026 Polls In Juba, young women gathered under the EU-funded Raising Civil Voices program to rethink their place in South Sudan’s political arena ahead of the long-awaited 2026 general elections, answering a rallying cry for substantive leadership. Training Beyond Tokenism Program Manager Alimure Ali Awda argued that token seats no longer suffice, urging participants to join parties, pursue specialized training and emerge as “real politicians” capable of shaping policy rather than applauding it (Friedrich Ebert Stiftung). The initiative targets women aged 18 to 32 already engaged in parties or youth associations, pairing classroom sessions with visits…

Dawn Strike on Kadi’ba At 4:00 a.m. on 24 September 2025, a combined force of the National Salvation Front and the SPLA-IO stormed Kadi’ba garrison, Mundri County’s administrative nerve-centre, overrunning South Sudan People’s Defense Forces positions and briefly shifting the local balance of power. Five SSPDF personnel were reported killed, and an idle armoured carrier was set ablaze in images later circulated online, adding symbolic weight to the insurgents’ message. Government Counteroffensive Army spokesperson Maj. Gen. Lul Ruai Koang told reporters in Bilpam that regular troops regrouped and, on 30 September, retook the base together with the charred carrier the…

Bus Station Inspection Thwarts Bullet Run A routine dawn sweep at the Wau–Juba bus terminal in Aweil ended abruptly as police uncovered two heavy sacks packed with AK-47 rounds. Officers from the Criminal Investigation Department acted swiftly, sealing the area before the suspected load could leave for the national capital, Juba. Suspects, Evidence and Legal Path Investigators identified bus driver Aguer Garang Bol and passenger Rieu Pioth Deng as key suspects, placing both men in custody for questioning. Their vehicle and the uncounted cartridges are now logged as exhibits under Section 72 of the Penal Code, a clause that forbids…

South African Diplomatic Mission in Juba Deputy President Paul Mashatile landed in Juba on Wednesday, opening a two-day working visit aimed at re-energising South Sudan’s delicate peace trajectory. Vice President Benjamin Bol Mel and senior ministers greeted the South African envoy at a brisk airport ceremony. Revitalized Peace Agreement at a Crossroads Talks immediately focused on speeding the Revitalized Peace Agreement signed in 2018, whose benchmarks on security unification, constitutional reforms and elections remain partly unmet. Mashatile framed the moment as “critical for democracy and development” while Bol Mel welcomed South Africa’s “consistent solidarity.” The urgency is underscored by fresh…

Workshop Boosts Civic Know-How in Yambio More than thirty young people, university students and activists gathered at Yambio’s Tourist Hotel for a one-day workshop led by the United Nations Mission in South Sudan and the State Elections Commission on Wednesday. This aimed to give participants practical tools for civic engagement, electoral participation and inclusivity ahead of the country’s first general elections since independence, scheduled for late 2026. Youth as Catalysts for Voter Education State Elections Chairperson Simon Bakama told the room that it is now the duty of young citizens to explain ballot procedures to neighbours and highlight the importance…

Nationwide Civic Education Campaign Teams from the National Constitutional Review Commission have fanned out to Lakes, Northern Bahr el Ghazal, Eastern Equatoria and Western Bahr el Ghazal. Their brief is to explain the constitutional roadmap and collect citizens’ priorities directly in villages, markets and youth centres. Vacancies in Constitution Drafting Committee Secretary General John Natana Abraham confirmed that advertisements for the 15-seat Constitution Drafting Committee will appear shortly. He stressed the panel’s non-partisan nature, noting that only proven technical competence, not political affiliation, will guide the selection process. Blend of National and International Expertise Twelve seats are reserved for South…

Nagero images ignite social media outrage Social media widely circulated grisly images of five young men, aged 17 to 22, reportedly shot by government forces in Nagero County, Western Equatoria State. Posts accused soldiers of killing unarmed civilians. The claims quickly sparked outrage across South Sudanese timelines, with activists demanding swift accountability from the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces. SSPDF rebuts accusations of civilian deaths Speaking to reporters in Juba on Wednesday, SSPDF spokesperson Major General Lul Ruai Koang firmly rejected the allegations, insisting no civilians were targeted. “Our troops were ambushed by SPLM-IO elements dressed in civilian clothes,” he…

Roadmap for Durable Solutions Unity State Governor Riek Bim Top has presented the Durable Solutions Roadmap, a long-term plan aiming to resettle about 474,071 people who have endured lengthy displacement caused by successive conflict and flooding. Unveiled during a ceremony on Tuesday, the initiative is framed as a pivot from emergency relief to sustainable recovery, positioning Unity State as a test case for regional peace-building strategies (Eye Radio, 2025). Land Allocation and Services Land allocation stands at the roadmap’s core. Authorities intend to secure plots where displaced families can rebuild homes, grow food and start businesses, reducing dependence on temporary…

Rising Tensions in Lakes State A fresh spate of violence has unsettled Lakes State, leaving three people dead in interconnected revenge attacks that flared this week between neighboring communities, local officials confirmed on Wednesday. Authorities fear the killings could reignite wider hostilities in a region already marked by cyclical confrontations linked to cattle raiding and resource disputes. Chain of Events Behind the Clashes Trouble began on Monday after Kedic Keloktuol was shot dead in Meen Payam, Rumbek North County, in what Commissioner Moses Maker Magok described as a revenge attack. Keloktuol’s death triggered retaliatory clashes that spread into neighboring Rumbek…