Staff Writer - Eye Radio

Abyei advocates call for instant release of 16 detainees

Posted on September 12, 2022September 13, 2022 by Staff Writer

Abyei advocates have called for the immediate release of sixteen people including activists, military and civilian leaders who were arrested following the Twic-Ngok violence early this year.

The individuals include Mayot Kunit Mayen, the Physical Infrastructure Minister of Abyei Administrative Area; Akuei Akoon Wel and Chol Pur Adol, the Commissioners of Alal and Rumamer Counties.

The military leaders being held in various detention facilities include non-commissioned SSPDF officers; Adol Atem Adol, Makuach Majok Ngor, Monychok Nyech Kur, and Ajing Ngor Makueth as well as private Ring Akot.

Others under arrest, are police officers Major General Kuol Monyluak Dan, Brigadier-General Ring Mawien Nyikuach, Brigadier-General Anyiel Agon Arop, and Brigadier-General Deng Bol Athuel.

Two SSPDF colonels, Bagat Malual Bagat and Ayuel Kiir Chol are also among those under arrest.

The Abyei Advocates Fact-finding Committee say their arrest and detention took place in April this year under the directive of Vice President Hussein Abdelbagi Ayii.

This occurred two months after President Kiir constituted an ad hock Committee to investigate the violent incident in the area.

Machar Kuol who is the Chairperson of the group has directed the team’s appeal to the Vice President for Service Cluster, saying the arrests were unprocedural and unconstitutional.

He says that the detainees who were arbitrarily arrested have been deprived of their freedom under the law of the land.
Kuol spoke to reporters in Juba this morning.

“Therefore, for this reason, we Abyei Advocates Facts-finding Committee are asking Mr. Hussain Abdelbagi the Vice President of the Republic to release immediately the detainees who were detained in different centers and they are three groups.”

Advocate Kuol said they have been on several occasions denied access to meet the Vice President.

He alleged their request to visit the detainees were turned down by the National Security Legal department.

The office of the Vice President is yet to comment on the matter

Fears as online company some S.Sudanese invested in suspends site

Posted on September 12, 2022September 12, 2022 by Staff Writer

Some South Sudanese have expressed worries of losing thousands of US dollars after an online company known as Silcone Valley Shares they invested in reportedly suspended its business.

On Friday, the alleged investment firm headquartered in San Francisco and New York ceased its website which resulted in the suspension of many accounts.

It is not clear when Silicone Valley Shares established its network in South Sudan.

But the company claimed it has ventured into a capital firm with more than 6.4 billion US dollars in assets across the globe since 2010.

The firm in its initial marketing plans said, its investment was focusing on markets where technology, innovation and capital can unlock long-term value and drive economic growth.

The procedure required to create an online account by filling a form with their details and select small, mid, ,big or VIP capital plans.

An unspecified number of South Sudanese have reportedly subscribed to the network and deposited different amounts in anticipation to reap profits.

Those who opted small capital plan invested between 50 and 500 US dollars and expected to earn 345.6% in interest rate in 8,640 hours.

While those who chose a medium capital plan deposited 600 to 2,000$ and expected to earn 518.4% in a month.

And investors who selected big capital plan deposited between 2,100 to 20,000 and were to earn 691.2% in 8,640 hours.

The last stage, the VIP capital plan were for those who intended to invest between 25,000 to 100,000 Us dollars with a profit margin of 864% in a month.

One of the subscribers who spoke to Eye Radio on condition of anonymity said she put 4,200 US dollars into the company two months ago.

But the duration elapsed before the company suspended online trading.

“I haven’t got what I invested for me to even get the profit because two months have not erupted yet. I was expecting by the end of this month I will be able to retain by money and then after that, I will be able to get a profit.

She is now demanding the company clarify the status of her capital investment.

“If they feel like the company is not going to fulfill their promises as they claimed, then at least they should refund everything that we have invested,” she implored.

Another subscriber who preferred to be identified only as Jonny says he has not been able to access his account since Friday.

“On Friday afternoon I tried to log into the system and the system told me that it has been suspended. I thought maybe it was network, after some hours it showed that this account has been suspended because they have this kind of system that you have to check what is going on and all this,”

“So I thought it was network, I also change my network and went for Wi-Fi and it was the same thing.”

This morning [Monday], some of the investors stormed the Juba-based Silicone Valley Shares office demanding an answer to the matter.

“I also found one of my colleagues who was crying and also complaining the same. Up to today, there is nothing that we have seen, ” said the second interviewee.

Eye Radio repeatedly contacted the Juba-based Silicone Valley Shares office for a comment, but several phone calls went unanswered.

Supreme Court ruling ‘brought shame’ to Kenya’s Judiciary – Orengo:

Posted on September 12, 2022September 12, 2022 by Staff Writer

One of Kenya’s Senior Counsel, James Orengo on Sunday called out the seven-judge bench led by Chief Justice Martha Koome, accusing them of making a ‘political’ judgement, reports the Citizen.

He said last Monday’s ruling was not judicial, but “political and meant to serve a purpose that has nothing to do with the law.

Siaya Governor James Orengo is speaking about what he calls ‘shame’ on the Judiciary, following Monday’s ruling by the Supreme Court which upheld the election of William Ruto as president.

Senior Counsel Orengo, who was in the team representing Azimio La Umoja One Kenya presidential candidate Raila Odinga in the petition, on Sunday called out the seven-judge bench led by Chief Justice Martha Koome, accusing them of making a ‘political’ judgement.

“Chief Justice Koome you have brought shame to the Judiciary by rendering a judgement that in the eyes of the ordinary people who fought for you to make sure a Chief Justice can have independence,” Orengo lamented.

“You have brought shame to the people of the Republic of Kenya!”

The apex court unanimously upheld the election of President-elect William Ruto in the August 9 polls and shut down allegations by Azimio’s lawyers that Forms 34A on the IEBC server were tampered with by deported Venezuelan national Jose Camargo.

CJ Koome labelled the claims “no more than hot air” and singled out lawyer Julie Soweto.

The Chief Justice also pointed out that the logs presented by the petitioners were “outright forgeries”.

According to Orengo, however, Monday’s ruling was not judicial, but “political and meant to serve a purpose that has nothing to do with the law.”

“The person who wrote that judgement has done a great injustice to the rule of law. I respect the court, and I have practised law for a very long time. A lot of the judges in the Supreme Court are my juniors,” he said.

He especially took issue with the court’s choice of words in the ruling, terming it shameful.

“Judges speak in words that are measured so that even the loser in a court of law feels like justice has been done,” said Orengo.

“Not even a baraza presided by a Chief would use the kind of language that was used at the Supreme Court. Shame to you judges!”

He added: “But what gives me peace is that we are going to fight and fight until justice is done… We are not afraid to continue fighting… This is a battle we must win.”

Shortly after the ruling, Orengo came out to dismiss the verdict as “ideological”, noting that although he had accepted it, he did not agree with it.

“Courts sometimes make mistakes which should be corrected over time. Yes, we need to accept it as per the law of the land, but it is a very ideological definition,” Orengo said on Monday.

Most recently, Odinga’s running mate Martha Karua has said she is pondering taking her grievances to the East African Court of Justice, purely to seek further interpretation of the 7-judge bench’s ruling.

According to her, a lot of events surrounding the 2022 presidential election do not make sense to her, hence stating that she is yet to fully accept that they were actually beaten at the polls fair and square.

“Kwa vile korti ilisema tuko na hot air…hot air balloon inaweza nipeleka East Africa…I am actually considering whether to travel on a hot air balloon to the East African Court just to discuss that judgement. Hii si maono ya Azimio, now it’s me as a Kenyan because also I’m entitled, as an individual, so it’s something I’m considering,” the NARC Kenya Party leader said on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Dr Ruto’s swearing-in ceremony will be held on Tuesday, September 13.

At least 20 Heads of State and government officials across Africa will also be expected to attend the swearing-in ceremony at the Moi International Sports Complex in Kasarani, Nairobi.

South Sudan’s currency rated 3rd worst-performer in Africa

Posted on September 12, 2022September 12, 2022 by Staff Writer

The South Sudanese pound is the third worst performing currency after Sudan’s and Zimbabwe’s dollar in the latest ranking of African currencies against the US dollar.

In a report published by Business Insider Africa, the Zimbabwean dollar has rated the 1st worst-performing currency in Africa followed by the Sudanese pound with South Sudan’s being 3rd.

The report was based on research by a professor at Johns Hopkins University that investigated the value of African Currencies during the 1st quarter of the year.

Every week, Steve Hanke, a Professor of Applied Economics and Director of the Troubled Currencies Project in the United States, publishes Hanke’s currency watchlist – a group of currencies that have depreciated by at least 20% against the dollar since January 2020.

In his latest list, he found out that the Zimbabwean dollar has depreciated against the US Dollar by 97.33% since Jan. 2020, whereby he suggested that “Zimbabwe dump the Zim dollar and adopt the USD immediately.

The Sudanese pound which comes second has depreciated against the USD by 84.95% since Jan 2020.

He suggested that Sudan’s pound & its economy install a currency board to address the challenge.

Meanwhile, South Sudanese pounds have depreciated against the USD by 50.79% since Jan 2020-something Hanke said, the country is experiencing an economic death spiral that never ends.

According to the ranking; Nigeria, Ghana Malawi, and Sierra Leon currencies came 4th, 5th, and 6th, respectively, experiencing depreciating rates at 42.57%, 39.54%, and 31.23% correspondingly.

In summary, Hanke state that the depreciation in “exchange rates in ten African countries will have a substantial influence on companies’ operations and profitability.

He added that the exchange rate volatility will affect not just multinationals and large corporations, but also affects small and medium-sized enterprises, including those who only operate in their home country.

Hanke advised that, while understanding and managing exchange rate risk is a subject of obvious importance to business owners, investors should also be familiar with it because of the huge impact it can have on their holdings. –

‘Recommit to Papal kiss as we reschedule visit’, Abp Welby

Posted on July 4, 2022July 4, 2022 by Staff Writer

The Archbishop of Canterbury has reminded South Sudan leaders to recommit to the 2019 spiritual retreat in Rome, Italy before they could reschedule visit to Juba.

The 2019-retreat saw Pope Francis hierarchically kiss the feet of President Kiir, First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar, Taban Deng Gai, and Rebecca Nyandeng at his own house in Santa Marta, Italy.

During the ritual, the Pontiff appealed to the political leaders to respect any peace agreement they signed saying, God entrusted them the responsibility of guiding his people.

For his part, Opposition Leader Dr. Riek Machar, the first vice president-designate, said the act by the pope was a gift from God and had given them the push to implement the September 2018 peace accord.

Meanwhile, a religious leader warned that the kissing of the leaders’ feet by Pope Francis symbolized that leaders should not be above the people they serve.

On Saturday, Pope Francis of the Roman Catholic, Justin Welby of Canterbury and Iain Greenshields who is Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, paid their solidarity with the people of South Sudan.

In separate video messages, the global religious leaders call on the peace leaders to lead a path of forgiveness and reconciliation.

In his remarks, Welby reminded the presidency of their commitment during the 2019 retreat in Sant Maria, Italy.

“This was promised during the spiritual retreat in 2019. I pray that through them, your leaders would listen to you, the people and to their conscience and to the government. So that when we visit your country, we will pray with them for the healing of the nation”, Welby stated.

“I pray for all of you in your daily choices, turn from the spirit of revenge, seek the spirit of reconciliation. God knows how hard that is. This hard thing is our greatest strength,” he added.

Apparently, the peace parties are grappling with implementing key provisions of the peace agreement.

So far, the leaders have not graduated the unified forces which is seen by many as vital to drive the peace agreement forward.

Minister Napwon pleads with households to plant trees

Posted on July 4, 2022July 4, 2022 by Staff Writer

Planting trees starting at a household level will save the environment from the degradation being caused by the widespread deforestation in the country, according to Environment Minister Josephine Napwon. Continue reading “Minister Napwon pleads with households to plant trees”

CES drafting bill to mitigate land disputes

Posted on June 21, 2022June 22, 2022 by Staff Writer

The Central Equatorial government has started drafting a bill that aims to regulate land allocation and its use in the state.

Currently, the state has subjected the process to discussion among its citizens.

In her remarks during the opening of an engagement forum in Juba Tuesday, the state deputy governor, Sarah Nene says, having a land bill is among the government’s priorities.

She says once enacted into law, it will enhance transparency and accountability in the distribution and use of the land.

“This draft bill is expected to open the gates for transparency, accountability and fair legal procedures.”

The move is expected to minimize the malpractices in the system as well as resolve conflicts related to the allocation and ownership of land in the state.

“We need it as a government, we must seek it as a priority to empower legitimacy, regulations towards land definition, protection, ownership and careful use of land to address malpractices, disputes and conflicts.”

Several months ago, Central Equatoria State governor, Emmanuel Adil Anthony said, land was one of the major causes of insecurity in the state.

His remarks came following a series of clashes between native communities and settlers in the outskirts of Juba.

The last incident was about two months ago when residents of Jondoru area, west of Juba clashed with land grabbers resulting in one death, and scores injured.

Prior to this, several plot owners fought with land grabbers in Khor William area where the new lifeline bridge, Freedom Bridge, was recently commissioned by President Salva kiir.

These incidents protracted after violent conflict in the Garbo area along the Juba-Bor highway which yet under construction.

So far, the areas have experienced relatively calm following interventions by the authorities at state and national levels.