Memoscar Lasuba, Author at Eye Radio

Wau football: Two Al Ahali players expelled while coach, five others suspended

Posted on November 16, 2022November 17, 2022 by Memoscar Lasuba

The Wau Local Football Association in Western Bahr el Ghazal has expelled two Al Ahali FC players who assaulted a female referee and suspended their coach along with five colleagues for misbehaving during a Sunday competition.

The incident occurred during the game between Al Tadanum and Al-Ahli – where Ms. Sezarina Gabriel, a female referee red-carded Al-Ahali player named Mario over on-pitch misconduct.

According to the association, the club players were playing rough on the pitch, and one of them, Mario Gabriel Dau was verbally warned of unfair play in the first half.

During the second half, Gabriel committed a foul and was called upon by the referee when he responded by insulting the referee.

When he was red-carded, angry Gabriel slapped the referee twice and his teammate Santino Marko kicked the ball against referee Ms. Sezarina Gabrielin in protest of the red card, according to association investigation findings.

The Al Ahali coach, Ali Hassan, and four other players of his, Louis Santino, Duang Riing Lang, Emmanuel Bashir Dor, and Daniel Tier Marial are suspended for reportedly supporting the behavior of the defiant colleagues which led to the discontinuation of the match.

In its decision, the local football association awarded the Altadanum with a win over the unfinished match.

It did not state the period of the suspension, but the suspended individuals are awaiting further investigations.

US Embassy in Juba announces $43.5M for youth empowerment

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

The U.S. Embassy in Juba has announced USAID’s 43.5 million US dollar award to support a youth empowerment program in South Sudan.

In an email to Eye Radio newsroom on Nov 16, The award of the U.S. Agency for International Development Youth Empowerment Activity is targeting 25,000 skilled and unskilled youth of diverse groups.

This aims at helping youth including girls and young women gain the knowledge and skills that enable them to lead healthy, engaged, and productive lives.

The Embassy says the four-year initiative will recruit 500 youth leaders across South Sudan and train them as mentors for marginalized youth with supportive activities that expand their access to learning, job training, civic engagement, reproductive health, and social and community cohesion.

The Youth Empowerment Activity will also support 65 local youth organizations with grants, technical training, mentorship, and organizational strengthening.

The press release cited USAID’s Mission Director Kate Crawford as saying ” we’re building the capacity of local and community-led organizations. USAID has made it a priority to work more closely with local organizations across South Sudan”.

The US’s Education Development Center (EDC) has been selected to implement the initiative through a competitive, public solicitation.

Peace parties to graduate unified forces in Upper Nile Nov 21

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

The peace parties have scheduled the graduation of ten thousand more necessary unified forces in the Upper Nile State next week on Monday, November 21, 2022. Continue reading “Peace parties to graduate unified forces in Upper Nile Nov 21”

South Sudan, Türkiye to ratify economic cooperation deal

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

The governments of South Sudan and Türkiye have agreed to expedite the ratification of a trade and economic cooperation agreement both countries signed five years ago. Continue reading “South Sudan, Türkiye to ratify economic cooperation deal”

BoSS cuts hard currency auctioning by 50% as market stabilizes

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

The Bank of South Sudan has made a 50 percent reduction of the weekly auctioning of US dollars to commercial banks and forex bureaus.

The central bank used to auction six million US dollars to commercial banks and four million to forex bureaus.

But from this week onwards, it will be auctioning three million US dollars to commercial banks and two million US dollars to forex bureaus.

In a statement dated November 14^th, the Central Bank governor, Johny Ohisa Damina said the decision was based on the successful implementation of a new monetary policy known as the Term Deposit Facility.

He stressed that the policy has significantly contributed to the decline in the growth of the money supply to the desired target digit.

“The Term Deposit Facility (TDF) is currently performing well and has become a key instrument in steering short-term market rates, management of excess liquidity, encouraging the banks to focus on their mandate of financial intermediation, promoting the culture of saving, and providing the private sector to stimulate economic activities,” Ohisa said.

He added that “with respect to other macroeconomic indicators, inflation continue to moderate and the growth in broad money has stabilized around the policy target.”

The bank said it will keenly be monitoring these changes and will continue to revise the amount of auctioning to forex depending on the market forces to meet foreign exchange demand by the business fraternity.

Ivory Coast signs hosting agreement for Afcon 2023

Posted on November 12, 2022 by Memoscar Lasuba

Officials from the Ivory Coast government signed a formal hosting agreement for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations with the Confederation of African Football (Caf) on Friday.

The signing is significant as it all but ensures that the next finals, which will take place in 2024, will be held in the West African nation.

In recent years, the host country for Nations Cups has moved around at relatively short notice, with Cameroon having lost the 2019 finals ahead of belatedly staging them earlier this year.

Along with other dignitaries, Caf president Patrice Motsepe was in Abidjan to meet Ivorian government officials, including vice-president Tiemoko Meyliet Kone and sports minister Paulin Claude Dahno, who signed the agreement.

Six stadia in five cities – Abidjan, Bouake, Korhogo, San-Pedro, and the capital Yamoussoukro – will host the 24-team finals, which will be held in January and February 2024.

The Stade Olympique d’Ebimpe, a 60,000-capacity stadium in Abidjan, is set to host the opening game and final, while the 45,000-capacity Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium in the city is also being renovated.

The Organizing Committee of the African Cup of Nations 2023 said it was satisfied with the progress of work on the Ebimpe stadium at the end of a technical visit last month.

Meanwhile, the country’s National Office of Infrastructure stated that stadiums in Bouake and Yamoussoukro, which will hold 40,000 and 20,000 respectively, are virtually complete.

However, the BBC’s Lalla Sy in Abidjan says that concerns have been raised about whether there will be enough hotel rooms available to accommodate competing teams, dignitaries and officials, and traveling supporters.

Siandou Fofana, Ivory Coast’s Minister of Tourism, has called for hotels to be upgraded to international standards.

The 2023 finals moved, and new hosts for 2025

The 2023 Nations Cup was originally scheduled for June and July next year but was moved to avoid the rainy season in Ivory Coast.

Qualifiers for the finals are underway but proposed fixtures in September were rescheduled to allow Africa’s five participants in the World Cup to arrange friendly matches.

Group fixtures will resume in the next international break in March, with the final two rounds of fixtures being held next September.

Ivory Coast are playing in Group H despite already being assured of a place in the tournament.

Meanwhile, Caf is also looking for new hosts of the 2025 Nations Cup after stripping Guinea of hosting rights last month because of a lack of suitably advancing infrastructure and facilities.

The continent’s governing body set Friday as a deadline for countries to declare interest in staging the tournament and, after receiving documents and touring bidding countries, is due to announce the successful country or co-hosts on 10 February.

A display of faith

Analysis – Piers Edwards, BBC Sport Africa

Friday’s signing is significant as it shows the faith that Caf has in Ivory Coast to successfully host the 24-team Nations Cup in early 2024.

Shortly after taking charge as Caf president in early 2021, Patrice Motsepe grew alarmed by the lack of leverage he had regarding hurrying up Cameroonian preparations for this year’s Nations Cup, given the contract had already been signed before his arrival.

In February, he said the signing of such a legal document between the host nation and Caf should be delayed until a point whereby the African football body no longer needed the threat of removing the tournament from a host nation to effect various requests.

Motsepe’s successful trip to Abidjan should not be underestimated in terms of its importance in stressing that Ivory Coast is fit to host, especially coming after the 2025 finals were removed from Guinea last month owing to Caf’s concerns over the country’s readiness

500 land grabbers arrested in Juba County in 2022 – official

Posted on November 11, 2022 by Memoscar Lasuba

More than 500 land grabbers, including military officers have been arrested in Juba County since January this year, Juba County Commissioner said adding that many have gone unpunished. Continue reading “500 land grabbers arrested in Juba County in 2022 – official”

Sudan’s Abdelaziz al-Hilu group to opt for independence”

Posted on November 10, 2022November 10, 2022 by Memoscar Lasuba

The leader of the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA-North), Abdelaziz al-Hilu, has told the BBC that his group will opt for independence if the government in Khartoum does not change.

There is a risk Sudan could split because the current military junta in charge of the country are “not ready for peaceful settlement” and want to stay in power, the leader of a military movement in the country has said.

The SPLA-North is in control of a large swathe of land in the Nuba mountains in the country’s south, as well as part of Blue Nile in the southeast.

Mr. Al-Hilu says his group “prefers unity” but warned that if Khartoum wants to maintain the old Sudan of “segregations” and “oppression” then “we will opt for independence”.

The Nuba have been marginalized for decades. They have been killed, tortured, evicted from their land, and forcibly converted to Islam.

In October 2021, Sudan’s military took over the government alleging that the army acted to prevent a civil war because political groups had been inciting civilians against the security forces.

The coup leader, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, has previously said he remains committed to the transition to civilian rule.

Ruto’s DP Gachagua off the hook in Sh7bn fraud case

Posted on November 10, 2022November 10, 2022 by Memoscar Lasuba

A Nairobi court has allowed the DPP to withdraw Sh7.3 billion fraud case against Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua and nine others.

The court has however warned the accused persons that they may be rearrested in the future over the same charges should investigators find evidence.

Gachagua to get back his passport and the Sh12 million he had deposited in court to be out of police custody.

The court recommends the enactment of a law to establish the office of a pre-trial judge to be checking on whether there is sufficient evidence before any accused person is arraigned in the court.

“It is unfair to subject judicial officers to take lengthy notes when there is no case”, magistrate Victor Wakumile said.

Bright Stars U20 hailed for reaching CECAFA finals, booking place in AFCON 2023

Posted on November 9, 2022November 9, 2022 by Memoscar Lasuba

The South Sudan national football team under 20 made history on Tuesday night after beating Ethiopia in a dramatic game that lasted 120 minutes to reach CECAFA finals, and qualify for AFCON 2023 in Egypt. Continue reading “Bright Stars U20 hailed for reaching CECAFA finals, booking place in AFCON 2023”