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USAID provides humanitarian assistance to displaced persons in Upper Nile

The United States Agency for International Development says it is assisting internally displaced persons who fled violence in Tonga and Panyikang areas in Upper Nile with food and non-food items.

In a post on its official social media page Wednesday, USAID says that the recent fighting between armed groups in Tonga and Panyikang County in Upper Nile has displaced tens of thousands of civilians from the areas.

“We’re assisting IDPs with shelter, food, medicine & water, sanitation & hygiene,” the statement read.

According to USAID, with about 50,000 internally displaced persons in the PoC site there, overcrowding exacerbates disease outbreak risks.

The agency said its team visited Malakal to monitor humanitarian assistance in and around the protection site in the area.

Its statement comes a day after the U.S. Ambassador to South Sudan said he was in Malakal town last Thursday, where he met with residents, USAID implementing partners, and UNMISS personnel.

Ambassador Adler also visited medical facilities and a food warehouse supported by U.S. assistance.

The Ambassador also visited sites where victims of sexual exploitation and gender-based violence receive assistance and are learning income-generating skills.

During his visit, Adler discussed efforts to provide aid to those displaced by severe subnational violence in Upper Nile and the sustained multi-year flooding.

In a statement sent to Eye Radio newsroom, the U.S diplomat also called on the government of South Sudan to improve the security conditions in Upper Nile state.

The restive state has experienced a series of violence, particularly in Malakal, Panykang, and Fashoda Counties allegedly perpetrated by militias believed to be loyal to General Simon Gatwech.

Peace soldier dies, body stuck at Rajaf training camp

A family is appealing for financial support to transport the body of a peace soldier who succumbed to an illness at a training center in Juba.

Edward Hipaingba Rakifi died while battling a hernia at the Rajaf Training center Monday morning.

He was one of the unified forces that graduated in Juba recently.

The late’s body was supposed to be taken to Yambio today but is stuck at the training center today.

This is because the family cannot afford to hire a car ticket or even to transport the body using a boda-boda.

“Here the cost to take the body to Yambio by car is very expensive it’s more than 400.000 to 600,000 ssp, Tadeo Sasa a member of the Azande Community in Juba told Eye Radio.

“We get somebody who is able to take the body with boda-boda at a low cost, but it is still expensive.”

34 suspected cases, 21 believed dead in Ebola upsurge in Uganda

The number of suspected Ebola infections continues to rise in Uganda.

The health ministry says there have been 34 suspected cases. It believes that 21 deaths were probably caused by the Ebola virus.

Health teams are continuing to trace any people that may have come into contact with it.

The outbreak began in the central district of Mubende but has now spread to two neighboring districts.

There are as yet no confirmed cases in the capital Kampala.

This is the fourth Ebola outbreak Uganda has faced.

Neighboring countries have said that they are on high alert.

S.Sudan to secure fiber optic cable from Djibouti

The government has signed an agreement with its Djibouti counterpart to connect fiber optic cable to South Sudan.

Fiber optic cables are designed for long-distance, high-performance data networking, and telecommunications.

According to the Monday deal, the cable shall be installed in South Sudan via Ethiopia aims to boost digital literacy and connectivity in the country.

In a statement on its official Facebook page, the Ministry of Information stated that the two countries will now form a technical team to deliberate on the project going forward.

The Minister, Michael Makuei Lueth signed the document on behalf of the government.

The signing ceremony was witnessed by the Vice President for Infrastructure Cluster Taban Deng Gai and senior officials from the Government of Djibouti.

In a related development, the ministry said, the government of South Sudan is also working with the World Bank to connect another Fiber optic cable to Juba from the Republic of Kenya.

National cabinet announces SSP658 billion in new salary scales

The Council of Ministers has announced a sum of 658 billion in a new salary structure for civil servants and constitutional post holders.

Minister Information Michael Makuei revealed this after the regular Council of Ministers meeting on Friday.
The availed budget was tabled by the Minister of Labor Joseph Bangasi Bakosoro during the regular council of ministers on Friday.

This comes after the government set up a technical committee to work on a new proposed salary structure.

Michael Makuei says the 658 billion, 777 million, 578 thousand and 118 South Sudanese pounds will cover all civil servants from one to grade 18, constitutional post holders, lawmakers, and members of organized forces.

“The new salary structure demanded more even than the current salary which was presented to the cabinet and it was demanding a sum of 658,777,578,118 South Sudanese Pounds, this is a big budget and it requires a lot of resources,” he said.

It’s not clear how much increment will be reflected on the current government employee salaries.

But Makuei said the new pay structure will enable civil servants to cover their demands and that of their families.

“The salary structure comes in as a matter of the salaries that I am receiving being unable to buy me [complainers] anything in the market and this is what brings in the new salary structure because the current salaries are not buying anything for us in the market.”

However, he is concerned about the raised budget saying, funding it will remain a big challenge.

Minister Makuei stated that the new salary structure has been sent to the economic cluster headed by Vice President Dr. James Wani to make some adjustments before its approval.

It is not clear whether the plan to increase the civil servants’ salaries has to do with the budget increment.
Government employees, especially soldiers, police, and teachers, have for too long complained about their living conditions as some are reportedly unable to eat a meal a day.

Last year, a nurse and midwife in South Sudan earn between 2,000 and 5,000 South Sudanese pounds per month, while a doctor received 6,840 Pounds a month – an equivalent of $38.

A foot soldier received roughly 1,500 pounds or $3 per month.

This could not pay for their food, housing, transport, and others.

According to experts, South Sudan receives millions of dollars in oil and non-oil revenues monthly.

Despite this, Civil servants and other employees on government payroll often go for nearly 7 months without salaries claiming they did not have enough money.

Financial transparency and accountability campaign groups attribute the situation to corrupt practices among the top leaders, whom they accused of stealing from public coffers.

Unity govt marks 4 years of impartially implemented peace

On this day four years ago, the peace parties inked a deal to bring to an end the conflict that first broke out in 2013 and reignited in 2018, pushing the leaders to another round of negotiation which culminated in the 2018 peace accord in the Sudanese capital, Khartoum.

Last month, parties resolved to stay in power for another 24 months, until December 2024, when elections are expected to usher in a new government.

President Salva Kiir signed on behalf of the ruling party – SPLM-IG, Dr. Machar signed on behalf of SPLM-IO and Gabriel Changson Chang signed for the opposition coalition – SSOA.

On the other hand, Deng Alor Kuol signed for the Former Detainees, while Peter Mayen and Wilson Lodiong signed for the Other Political Parties.

In his concluding remarks, President Salva Kiir said the extension was to avoid a chaotic election.

Meanwhile, the First Vice President, Dr. Riek Machar said it took the government three years to implement roughly 27.3 percent of the 2018 peace accord.

According to Machar, 31.1 percent is a work in progress, and 41.4 percent is pending.

This leaves the principles of the peace deal with more than 70 percent of the provisions unimplemented.

The new timeline was however protested by the Troika countries, who expressed concerns over the exclusive process.

Diplomats from the US, UK, and Norway then boycotted the peace implementation roadmap meeting at the Freedom Hall, saying all relevant parties were consulted on the matter.

Today marks four years since the parties signed the revitalized peace agreement in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa.
Speaking to Eye Radio this morning, the retired Bishop of the Episcopal Church of South Sudan, Enok Tombe described the peace implementation as “slow”.

He called on the unity government to demonstrate political will and implement the remaining tasks during the two-year extension.

“Regarding the implementation of the peace agreement, it is true it has been very slow. You know that the parties have now even extended for two years, what we are hoping is that this extension will give the parties more time to implement the remaining provisions, particularly the security arrangements, permanent constitution-making process, and then finally the elections.”

“In the end, these leaders came on their own, they imposed themselves politically, militarily, and economically. But, when we have the chance to vote, then you chose the leaders who really do what the people want.

“At the moment, what we see is that the political parties are in their own interest that’s why the violence is even at the communal level. But, all the same, we pray that God will be with us until the time of elections.”

The new peace roadmap assessed the implementation status of the provisions of each chapter, identifying provisions that are either completed, in progress, or outstanding.

The articles in progress or outstanding were recorded and tabulated with implementation time frames, their start and finish dates to provide a schedule for the implementation.

The objective, according to the committee, is to ensure a peaceful end of the interim period, with elections held and a democratically elected government for the Republic of South Sudan installed.

There are critical tasks in the agreement that are supposed to be implemented before the end of the transitional period to pave way for credible, free, and fair elections.

This includes the unification of forces and their deployment, the making of a permanent constitution, and the reconstitution of the electoral commission, among others.

Abyei advocates call for instant release of 16 detainees

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

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

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.

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