Memoscar Lasuba, Author at Eye Radio

Striking truck drivers flee Uganda police tear gas to Nimule

Posted on January 11, 2023January 11, 2023 by Memoscar Lasuba

A clearance agent in Nimule town says dozens of protesting regional truck drivers at Uganda’s Elegu border area have now crossed into South Sudan after a confrontation with the Uganda police.

Mading John says truck drivers are protesting the increase in road users’ fees by the South Sudan government.

Mading who is the Secretary General of the South Sudan Clearance Agent Association told Eye Radio that, the traffic police have hiked the fee from 15,000 to 28,000 pounds since last week.

“That thing was there yesterday, but the Ugandan government has sent them to this [Nimule]side, they were tear-gassed by Ugandan police back here”

“If you [drivers] want to strike, go and strike in South Sudan but don’t strike on our side, so the trucks started moving yesterday [Tuesday] around 2 pm.

According to him, just about 150 trucks out of 300 hundred have crossed to the Nimule side after the Ugandan police shot tear gas at them.

” Yesterday [Tuesday], the trucks were over 300 but right now about 100 are already at the Nimule custom parking yard.”

The South Sudan traffic police are yet to comment on the matter.

Last year, in April, a similar protest by the cargo truck drivers paralyzed trade and hiked market prices in the country.

South Sudan, a landlocked country, depends almost entirely on imports ranging from food and other commodities.

Chollo King Kwongo Dak sacks two chiefs for fighting

Posted on January 11, 2023January 12, 2023 by Memoscar Lasuba

The King of Chollo Kingdom in Upper Nile state has dismissed a paramount chief and his deputy in the greater Equatoria region after they were reported fighting while on duty.

King Reth Kwongo Dak Padiet issued a monarchical order yesterday sacking Adwok Laa, Paramount Chief, and his Deputy James Amum over misconduct while on duty.

” I confirmed that they were dismissed, of course, is the prerogative of the King to appoint them and dismissed them”, Othom Rago, a member of the Royal family in Juba confirmed the dismissal to Eye Radio Wednesday morning.

“I think it happened yesterday [Tuesday]morning, the two chiefs fought among themselves and the message reached the King, so they were all called, then they were dismissed.

Rago who revealed the sacking of the fired traditional leaders didn’t disclose the cause of the fighting.

But the two men reportedly misused their powers and were accused of engaging in politics, not in the interest of the community.

OCHA acting boss condemns last week’s killing of three aid workers

Posted on January 11, 2023January 11, 2023 by Memoscar Lasuba

The UN acting Coordinator for Humanitarian Affairs in South Sudan has condemned the killing of three aid workers in the Abyei Administrative Area and in Jonglei State.

In a statement to Eye Radio newsroom, Peter van der Auweraert said, on January 2 this year, armed men attacked Rumameer village in which two aid workers and several civilians were killed, with many others injured during the attack.

The aid workers were shot and killed while on duty at a humanitarian facility in Rumameer village.

Van der Auweraert said in the second incident on January 7, an aid worker was killed by unknown individuals while he guarded humanitarian commodities in Duk County, Jonglei State.

“I am shocked by the report on the killing of two aid workers in the Abyei Administrative Area and another aid worker killed in Jonglei,” he said.

“I want to express our condolences to the family and colleagues of the aid workers who were killed.”

According to OCHA, Humanitarian commodities were looted during the incident.

Peter also called on authorities and communities to protect humanitarian personnel as they deliver assistance to vulnerable people.

“Humanitarians are working tirelessly to serve the most vulnerable people, including women, children, and the elderly with vital humanitarian assistance, and attacks against them are completely unacceptable and must stop,” he said.

He further stated that people across South Sudan and the Abyei Administrative Area are experiencing critical needs, and efforts by humanitarian partners to respond to people’s needs are affected by increased violence against personnel and assets.

South Sudan has been viewed as one of the most dangerous places for aid workers.

Yei River witnessing influx of returnees in new year

Posted on January 11, 2023January 11, 2023 by Memoscar Lasuba

Yei River County has witnessed the return of thousands of South Sudanese refugees from neighboring Uganda and DR. Congo in the past three weeks, according to the area police spokesperson.

Major Faizal John told Eye Radio via Phone while accompanying the area commissioner, Aggrey Cyrus Kanyikwa to the Libogo area along South Sudan- DR Congo border yesterday.

They had gone to launch the revival of the border market and establish a government presence there.

“The commissioner [Aggrey Cyrus Kanyikwa is going to raise a flag at Libogo and open the market. As we speak, I will be accompanying him to the area,” said John.

According to Faizal, since December the Libogo area saw the return of more than four thousand returnees from neighboring Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Major Faizal says the returnees have cited poor living conditions in the refugee camps as the cause of their return to their ancestral homeland.

“As of 24^th of December, over four thousand people returned to the area. As you know the situation of refugees in the camps is difficult. There is not enough food in the camps that is why some of them have come back”, he added.

However, Faizal said the returnees are facing dire humanitarian need as they are lacking food and medicines.

He appealed to humanitarian organizations to provide the locals with relief aid.

In November last year, thousands of South Sudanese refugees reportedly returned to Morobo County of Central Equatoria state.

Photos circulated on social media showed hundreds of returnees cleaning their homesteads to resettle.

DR Congo out of U-17 Afcon after age checks

Posted on January 10, 2023January 10, 2023 by Memoscar Lasuba

The Democratic Republic of Congo have been forced to pull out of a regional qualifying tournament for the 2023 Under-17 Africa Cup of Nations after 25 out of 40 players failed mandatory age testing.

It is the latest age fraud scandal to hit the Central African Football Federations’ Union (UNIFFAC) qualifiers after 32 players from host nation Cameroon failed age tests ordered by Samuel Eto’o, president of the country’s governing body, Fecafoot.

After a race against time, BBC Sport Africa understands Cameroon has found 30 replacement players who have all passed Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) tests in Douala.

But as the Indomitable Lions’ opening fixture in Limbe was supposed to be against DR Congo, they will not now be able to kick off the tournament on 12 January as scheduled.

A statement by the Congolese football federation

(Fecofa) said it was forced to withdraw after “only 15 were eligible and 25 failed of the 40 players submitted for MRI testing.”

However, of the 15 players who passed the age test, the statement also revealed “only five managed to complete the necessary administrative formalities” that would have allowed them to travel to Cameroon.

Four countries – Cameroon, Congo-Brazzaville, Chad and Central African Republic – will now take part in the qualifying competition, with UNIFFAC rescheduling fixtures between 12 and 24 January.

Two teams will progress to April’s Under-17 Nations Cup finals in Algeria.

“It’s an organisational nightmare because we have to quickly come up with a new format that will involve four nations instead of the original five,” a UNIFFAC official told BBC Sport Africa.

“We are happy that after the MRI scans, all four nations now have a team.”

The Confederation of African Football (Caf), which enforces the MRI age scans, has been contacted for comment.

The fight against age cheats

Many of Africa’s international successes in junior tournaments have been clouded by allegations of the use of overage players.

Why is age fraud ‘rampant’ in Africa?

Fifa banned Nigeria from all international fixtures for two years after finding that the birth dates of three of their players in the 1988 Olympics were different from those used by the same players in previous tournaments.

In 2003, Kenya’s Under-17 team was dissolved by the government after some players admitted to age fraud.

Seven months ago, Ghana were banned from the next two editions of qualifying for the Women’s U-17 World Cup and fined $100,000 after being found guilty.

Djibouti, Sudan, Somalia and Congo-Brazzaville have all also suffered disqualifications from major tournaments whilst Ivory Coast, Liberia, Guinea, Benin, Sierra Leone and Uganda have all been notable offenders.

Cameroon legend Eto’o promised to take action to combat the long-running problem when he was elected Fecafoot president in December 2021.

Sudanese woman jailed for kissing man

Posted on December 16, 2022December 16, 2022 by Memoscar Lasuba

A Sudanese woman charged with adultery has had her life spared and will instead spend six months behind bars after she admitted to kissing a man.

Continue reading “Sudanese woman jailed for kissing man”

Three Yambio men face hangman’s noose for murder

Posted on December 15, 2022December 15, 2022 by Memoscar Lasuba

The high court in Yambio, Western Equatoria State has sentenced three men to death by hanging for killing a 35-year-old woman in August last year. Continue reading “Three Yambio men face hangman’s noose for murder”

At least three dead, eight injured in Mangala clashes

Posted on December 15, 2022December 15, 2022 by Memoscar Lasuba

At least three people have died, and eight others injured in Central Equatoria State’s Mangala Payam following clashes between cattle keepers and the locals. Continue reading “At least three dead, eight injured in Mangala clashes”

Activist urges gov’t to rebuild smooth ties with U.S.

Posted on December 14, 2022December 14, 2022 by Memoscar Lasuba

The government of South Sudan should re-negotiate its bilateral relations with the United States to rebuild trust between the two governments, activist Edmond Yakani has said.

Many African Countries are taking part in the three-day second US-Africa Leaders’ Summit in Washington DC which started on Tuesday.

African civil society organizations are also participating in the summit.

South Sudan is being represented by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Mayiik Ayii Deng.

Edmond Yakani who is among those representing South Sudan civil society groups says, the summit offers great opportunities for African leaders to share ideas and experiences with US leaders.

In a clip shared with Eye Radio’s newsroom, Yakani calls on the South Sudan government to use the opportunity to smoothen its relations with the American government.

Edmond Yakani says the re-negotiation should focus on the political transformation of the country through the implementation of the peace agreement

“I hope the Minister of Foreign Affairs will take responsibility for re-negotiating the relationship between South Sudan and the US government since the summit is focusing on rebuilding the trust of the US towards African governments .”

” So re-negotiating our relationship with the US government towards regaining US trust in our government for the political transition in our country is very important,

“I hope that the government delegation will put energy to take advantage of this open invitation from the US government to His Excellency President Salva Kiir.”

This year’s summit is focusing on “deepening and expanding the long-term U.S.-Africa partnership and advancing our shared priorities.

It is a follow-up of the first summit in August 2014 convened under the President Barack Obama administration.

The summit will discuss peace and security, climate change, and food security on the continent.

Countries like Sudan, Mali, and Burkina Faso where their leaders seized power through a military coup have been excluded.

Two-time Olympic 800m champion survives plane crash in Kenya

Posted on December 12, 2022December 12, 2022 by Memoscar Lasuba

Kenya’s two-time Olympic 800m champion David Rudisha is reportedly unharmed after a plane he was traveling in crash-landed on Saturday evening.

The plane carrying the 33-year-old, who won gold at both London 2012 and Rio de Janeiro 2016, and five others came down near a park in Kajiado county in Kenya’s southeast.

Pictures from the scene suggest the plane flipped over after one of its wings hit a tree, with Rudisha describing the event as a “scary episode”.

“All was well close to seven or eight minutes into the flight when the engine of the plane suddenly went quiet,” he told the Daily Nation newspaper.

“He saw some clear space where he tried to land the plane but one of its wings hit a tree as the plane started to spin before landing on the rocky field,

“The pilot did an incredible job to keep the plane afloat and stable for long.”

Rudisha, whose winning time in London of one minute 40.91 seconds still stands as the men’s 800m world record, is said to be unhurt.

However, one of the other occupants, Stephen Ole Marai, was reportedly being treated in a hospital for rib injuries while others had minor injuries and were taken to hospital but later discharged.

Rudisha had been on his way back from attending the annual Maasai Olympics event at Kimana Wildlife Sanctuary in Kajiado county.

Now retired from top-level athletics, he has suggested that he is considering going into coaching.

He survived a car accident on the Nairobi-Kisumu highway in August 2019 when a tyre burst and his SUV collided head-on with a bus.