Gatdor Gai Reat, one of the exceptional South Sudanese who scooped an A in the recently released Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) aspires to study medicine at Havard University, one of the top prestigious universities in the United States of America. Continue reading What Gatdor Gai, exceptional South Sudanese in 2023 KCSE results dreams of
Category: National News
National News
25 suspected gangs arrested with illicit drugs, machetes
Police in Juba have detained 25 individuals suspected of affiliation with a local gang group following a search in the Loglogo suburb of Juba City on Tuesday.
The apprehended individuals were found in possession of illicit drugs, machetes, and banned liquor locally dubbed as ‘Jena Fa’ar’.
Maj General Daniel Justin who is the spokesperson of the National Police Service repeated the force’s solid commitment to combatting criminal activities.
The last crackdown is part of a continued initiative launched last year under the directive of the Inspector General of the Police General Atem Marol to curb crimes across the country.
General Justin stressed the continuous dedication to taking stringent measures against criminals.
“As part of our efforts that we started before the new year to crack down on criminal activities, early on Tuesday, we managed to apprehend 24 suspects in the Loglogo area in possession of drugs, machetes liquor among other things they use in their criminal activities,” he said on state-owned SSBC TV on Tuesday.
Last year, the Inspector General of Police ordered 21 days of operation to bring an end to gang-related crimes in the country.
Young man handed 5-year jail term for defiling minor girl in Juba
The Gender-Based Violence Court in Juba has sentenced a 22-year-old man to five years imprisonment for defiling a minor girl in Juba about mid-last year.
According to the Court verdict file Eye Radio got access to on Tuesday, the presiding judge Andrew Jushow Ladu found Laku Mundria Laku guilty of committing the crime in May 2023.
A photo of the unnamed victim was found in the convict’s phone, according to a prosecutor’s attestation.
During the court session, convict Laku argued that the girl told him she was 19 years old when they met.
However, before the verdict, convict Laku was said to have confessed the wrongdoing after 5 months of deliberations in the court over the case.
According to Judge Lado, Laku violated section 247 of the South Sudan 2008 Penal Act and was fined SSP 1M in reparation to the victim.
Troika countries urge unity govt to reject violence, embrace democracy
The Embassies of the UK, Norway, and the United States have urged South Sudan leaders to embrace peace and people’s right to a government that is responsive to their needs as opposed to a small elite.
The Western embassies issued a joint statement on Tuesday following a meeting with Minister of Presidential Affairs Joseph Bangasi Bakosoro, and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation James Pitia Morgan on Monday.
The trio said their “engagement to support the people of what is today South Sudan began decades ago, and was based on values including peace, human rights, democracy, and people’s right to a government that is responsive to their needs, and not to that of a small elite.”
They stressed the need for the leaders to “the steps necessary to hold free, fair, and peaceful elections by December this year to demonstrate a shared foundational value in their bilateral relationships.”
The embassies also urged the leaders to reject violence as a tool for competition.
They further stated that “another way to demonstrate alignment with the foundational values in our bilateral relationships would be for the transitional government to start using public revenue transparently to meet public needs.”
“This includes funding for humanitarian support for returnees from Sudan, the health sector, education, and other basic services as well as for consistent salary payments to security personnel and civil servants and funding for necessary electoral institutions.”
According to the embassies, they now look for signs that these priorities are shared by South Sudan’s leaders while warning history will judge them.
Several S. Sudanese students shine 2023 KCSE Exams
Several South Sudanese students in Kenya are celebrating their outstanding performances in the 2023 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education results.
The Kenya Education Cabinet Secretary unveiled the results on Monday.
Maria Budier Samson, 21, and Dau Atem Dau are among the standout performers with both securing A-minuses in the examinations.
Maria, a student of Moi Girls Isinya, excelled with an A in Mathematics, an A in CRE, an A in Kiswahili, and an A- in chemistry, among other subjects.
Dau, 18, who hails from Nanyuki High School, demonstrated proficiency in Mathematics, Building Construction, and Chemistry, with an A- in Kiswahili, and other subjects.
In an interview with Eye Radio, Maria says she was surprised at the results.
“ I did not know the results would be released on Monday. In the morning, I was so worried, and I woke up very early anxious about the results being announced.
“My friend sent me a link and I checked on my results. When I saw an A-, I jumped around so excited, I couldn’t believe it. I was not expecting that. I am grateful to God. ”
Maria attributes her success to relentless hard work and dedication citing hours of intense reading, revising past papers, and participating in online classes and group discussions.
According to Maria, her uncle played a pivotal role in making her thrive in the exams by providing her with revision materials.
As Maria envisions being a pediatrician to address the health issues of South Sudanese children, she sends a powerful message to young girls back home.
“Aa girl, you can also make it, what a man can do a woman can do it better. In our current situation, our girls should not give up.
‘We need to better our country by rising. If we do it together, everything will be possible. But we should be the people to motivate ourselves. If you want to succeed you need to make the decision not to let others push you, you need the push yourself.
‘Again to all the girls, everything is possible and can be done if you have a goal.”
For Dau, despite obtaining an A-minus with an 80% passing mark, he expressed some disappointment as he expected more than that.
He was sent home three weeks before exams due to unpaid school fees.
“A challenge that I felt affected me was last year. In my last term, three weeks before we sat for exams, I was chased home because of no school fees.
“I came home and stayed for about a week because I had no fees. People continued with their studies and I felt a little bit behind I had to catch up again, also afraid of exams because they were near. Also finding someone to fund my studies all through.”
Despite this hurdle, Dau overcame the challenge to shine in the exams.
He expressed his gratitude to his relatives, particularly his aunt and uncle, Dau for the milestone success.
“Mostly it was my aunt and uncle. I would like to thank them for what they did, if it was not because of them, I don’t think I would have scored that grade.”
Both students hope to secure scholarships to pursue pediatric medicine and mechanical engineering abroad respectively.
Warrap to firing-squad murderers as govt approves death penalty
Authorities in Warrap State have recommended for speedy trial of criminal cases involving communal and territorial land disputes to prevent revenge killings. Continue reading Warrap to firing-squad murderers as govt approves death penalty
NEC deputy calls for non-interference from political parties
The Deputy Chairperson of the National Elections Commission is appealing to the political parties not to interfere in the work of the institution as it starts preparing the country for the 2024 polls. Continue reading NEC deputy calls for non-interference from political parties
NEC officials take oath of office as country heads to polls
The appointed officials of the National Election Commission were on Monday sworn-in with the institution citing conduct of civic education and voters’ registration as the first priorities amid election fever.
The nine electoral officials took oath this afternoon at an event Presided over by Chief Justice Chan Reec Madut and witnessed by President Salva Kiir.
Speaking after the oath-taking, electoral body chairperson Abednego Akok says the institution will soon engage the communities to be actively involved in the democratic processes.
This, according to him, shall be followed by registration of eligible voters
Afterward, Prof. Abdenego says, the commission will later discuss issues of geographical constituencies.
“Our priority now is to embark on civic education, to tell the message all over South Sudan [that] elections will be conducted.
“So, they [voters] must be told that this is their chance, after they are told this, we will come to the registration of 18 years and above anywhere they are in.
‘There is a technical part of it which will be discussed at the commission later on, the issue of the constituencies we will be discussed with the commissioners later, but our immediate task is to talk about civic education, said Prof. Akok.
According to Professor Abednego, the elections shall be conducted two months before the end of the transitional period as enshrined in the 2018 revitalized peace agreement.
“If you read the peace agreement, the peace agreement says that two months before the end of the transitional period, elections will be conducted. That is, at the end of this year, by December elections will be conducted.
He however appealed to the unity government to improve security to ensure a conducive environment for the election process.
“One of the challenges is the security issue which the government must tackle very carefully to see to it that all routes are passable.”
In Juba:115 people injured in traffic accidents, 35 in gang-related violence on New Year -Official
Over 200 cases including injuries due to traffic accidents, fighting, and gang violence have been registered at Juba Teaching Hospital during New Year celebrations, according to the head of the Accident and Emergency Department.
Of 115 traffic cases, two succumbed to death on Monday morning, according to Dr Gatluak Jak.
Sixty-three cases were a result of fighting and thirty-five cases were of people beaten by youth gangs.
The national referral hospital also received two suicidal cases of one person who poisoned himself and of another stabbing himself to death.
“Road traffic accidents are around one hundred and fifteen cases and sixty-three cases fighting during celebration among different violent groups.
“Thirty-five cases of people being beaten by youth gangs while in two suicidal cases, one was poisoned, and another stamped himself with a knife.
“Two people succumbed due to road traffic injuries, bringing the total number to two hundred and fifteen cases registered yesterday and today morning.”
According to Jak, there was no report of gun-related deaths and injuries during the New Year festivities.
He spoke to Eye-Radio in an exclusive interview earlier today.
President Kiir repeats call on hold-out groups to lay down arms
President Salva Kiir has reiterated his calls on the holdout groups to lay down their arms and return home to participate in the forthcoming elections slated for December this year.
In his written address on New Year’s Eve, the Head of State called on the non-opposition forces fighting the government to come and exercise their democratic rights in the upcoming elections.
“I called upon the opposition forces especially the hold-out groups who are fighting the government to lay down their arms and return home and excercise their democratic rights in the upcoming elections,” he said
Kiir’s call comes more than a week after he wrote to his Kenyan counterpart, William Ruto to mediate peace talks between the government and the hold-out groups.
According to Presidential Affairs Minister Bangasi Joseph Bakasoro, the President wanted to reach a truce with the opposition groups to allow their return home before polling in December.
The Head of state said despite the international economic sanctions and arms embargo imposed on the country and the challenges, the implementation of the peace agreement is on track and that the final stage of the agreement will lead to general elections by the end of this year.