Author: The South Sudan Herald

Rising Waters Overwhelm Fangak County Fangak County now lies beneath a vast sheet of water, its farms erased and villages isolated. Families paddle between tree tops while livestock cling to narrow ridges, officials report. Information Minister Nyamar Lony Thichiot Ngundeng described the scene as “particularly dire,” stressing that many households have no shelter, food or dry ground available. Spillover to Pigi and Twic East The current flood wave has also inundated Pigi and Twic East counties, sweeping through cropland and cutting road links. Local leaders say displacement figures rise daily as new villages succumb to the waters. Government Evaluates Relocation…

Targeted Operation Nets Key Suspects On 4 October 2025, Sector Four of the Joint Operations Force swept into Tonping–Juba Nabari at 2:00 p.m., arresting two men alleged to have orchestrated a wave of motorbike and rickshaw thefts across Juba City and its outskirts. Stolen Motorbikes and Rickshaw Recovered Investigators say the duo was caught with 20 stolen motorbikes, 22 number plates and a single rickshaw, all kept as exhibits. Police believe the haul links the pair to multiple unsolved robberies reported over recent months. Public Tip-Off Proves Crucial Major General James Monday Enoka credited residents of Northern Bari for alerting…

Launch Day Draws Diverse Voices Yambio’s main hall filled with youth leaders, clergy, and officials on Sunday as the Action for Peace and Development Organisation, APDO, announced its return to public life. The gathering highlighted a shared desire to rebuild trust after years of intermittent conflict. Mandate Centered on Community Dialogue Executive Director Odetta Miwai James told the audience that APDO will pair faith-based outreach with data-driven advocacy. “Citizens deserve a seat at every table where decisions are taken,” she insisted, framing inclusion as the surest path for peace and economic recovery. Civil Society Network Applauds Milestone Wanga Emmanuel, who…

Rapid leadership changes in Juba President Salva Kiir Mayardit has moved swiftly to fill three high-profile seats, naming Gen. James Koang Chuol deputy defence minister, promoting Maj. Gen. Valentino Baak Makuei to command the Presidential Guard, and replacing veteran politician Deng Alor Kuol at the East African Community Affairs ministry. Koang’s return to cabinet spotlight Koang, a senior SPLM figure relieved of the Upper Nile governorship last week, steps into a post left vacant since March 2023. His elevation preserves Kiir’s control of the defence docket, which the 2018 peace deal originally earmarked for the SPLM-IO of First Vice President…

Nationwide Security Snapshot Major General James Monday Enoka briefed journalists on a trio of incidents that stretched police resources last week, underscoring lingering security challenges despite recent stabilisation efforts in South Sudan (Eye Radio). Juba Checkpoint Shooting At 2:00 PM on 4 October, unknown assailants in a private vehicle opened fire on a Tiger Division patrol near Seventh Day Roundabout. One soldier was killed, another wounded. Suspects were arrested minutes later and held at Malakia Police Station pending motive verification. Market Brokers Confrontation Four hours before the shooting, rival brokers clashed inside the bustling Konyo-Konyo commercial hub. Swift deployment of…

Digital Destiny for a Young Nation Each tap on a smartphone screen in South Sudan hints at a broader conversation: are online freedoms keeping pace with the nation’s aspirations? Citizens and jurists say access to the Internet now shapes education, business and speech as decisively as roads or classrooms. Rights Defined in the Digital Age Bida Emmanuel calls digital rights an online extension of traditional liberties, embracing expression, privacy, information and protection from abuse. Lawyer Peter Ajak Ayom adds the power to create and share content without censorship, while Bol Yaach Kuany points to Chapter Two of the 2011 Constitution…

Alarming Numbers at Aweil Hospital Doctors at Aweil Civil Hospital report 68 Hepatitis E patients since 2023, with 13 fatalities, including three women and children last week. The steep climb, highlighted by focal officer Luka Lual Aleu Jok, has put the northern Bahr el Ghazal town on epidemiological alert. How the Virus Travels Hepatitis E transmits mainly through water or food laced with human waste, but under-cooked meat and transfused blood can also seed infection. Crowded settlements that lack piped water in Northern Bahr el Ghazal create fertile ground for the virus to move quietly from household to household. Hospital…

Mobile Money Frustration in Aweil East In Wanyjok, the commercial centre of Aweil East County, residents queue at kiosks, phones in hand, only to leave without their hard-earned transfers. The MTN MoMo wallet, once sold as a lifeline for the unbanked, now holds stranded shillings that cannot be exchanged for banknotes. Liquidity Shortage at Agent Level Local agent Luol Deng says chronic cash scarcity begins upstream, where commercial banks report dwindling reserves from the Central Bank. “There is not enough money in circulation,” he told this magazine, adding that agents protect limited liquidity by suspending large withdrawals. With commissions fixed…

Rule of Law Debate Intensifies Deng-bil William Aguer, leader of the African People’s Congress, believes South Sudan’s future hinges on a clear, predictable judiciary. Speaking in Juba, he argued that legal certainty underpins economic growth and social cohesion. He recalled regional traditions of communal forgiveness yet warned that modern crime waves demand firmer responses. “Balance without accountability risks paralysis,” he said, urging lawmakers to modernise legislation without eroding cultural values. Machar Trial as Litmus Test The ongoing High Court case pitting First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar Teny against the SPLM-IG is, to Aguer, “a textbook chance to prove no…

Sharp Decline in Road Mishaps A sudden pause has descended on Juba’s streets after the Traffic Directorate suspended its high-profile crackdown on unlicensed vehicles. Officials say the operation produced a clear payoff: fewer collisions and visibly higher compliance across rickshaw, motorcycle and car drivers. Officials cited ‘few accidents’ during the week-long drive, a trend they judge significant in a city where road chaos often fuels public concern. Directorate Explains Policy Shift “I decided to stop the traffic crackdown until further notice,” General Kon told state television, noting that drivers now queue voluntarily for licence renewal. He argued the temporary victory…