Eye Radio journalists Emmanuel J. Akile and Lou Nelson at JIA. (-)

Members of the public have welcomed Eye Radio’s return to live coverage of the Tumaini Initiative, made possible through the support of Norwegian People’s Aid and the Community Empowerment Progress Organization.

They stated that Eye Radio’s coverage will play a crucial role in disseminating accurate and factual information about the talks.

On Sunday, December 1, 2024, Eye Radio sent two of its senior journalists to Nairobi, Kenya, to cover the resumption of the Tumaini talks between the incumbent government and holdout groups.

This timely coverage coincided with the restart of the peace process between the transitional government and the South Sudan Opposition Movement alliances.

The peace talks were revived following an agreement between Kenyan President William Ruto and South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir on November 4 to conclude the initiative, aimed at bringing opposition leaders, who were excluded from the 2018 peace agreement, back into the fold.

In response, President Kiir reconstituted the government’s negotiation team, appointing his senior advisor, Kuol Manyang, to lead the 15-member delegation already in Nairobi.

The coverage of these crucial peace talks was made possible thanks to the support of Norwegian People’s Aid (NPA) and the Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO), who sponsored the journalists’ travel and accommodation costs for the expected 10-day duration of the talks.

Meanwhile, citizens online have expressed their appreciation for Eye Radio’s commitment to keeping the public informed.

Ngor Deng Atem thanked the funders for making the coverage possible, emphasizing that Eye Radio’s presence would help keep millions of South Sudanese citizens informed.

“Thank you to the funders. Your support will help thousands, even millions, of our population stay informed about the peace process happening in Nairobi,” he said.

“Eye Radio is truly the Eye on South Sudan. With the commitment and hard work of Eye Radio’s team, accurate and factual news reaches the hearts of South Sudanese. Please keep up the good work.”

Mabior Amanydit also commended Eye Radio for working in the best interest of the citizens: “This is what we have been waiting for all along. Eye Radio is the only media outlet working diligently for the South Sudanese people.”

Samuel Kuyee expressed gratitude to NPA, while also calling for Eye Radio to establish a repeater station in Jonglei: “Great, and thanks to NPA. But I don’t know why Eye Radio hasn’t covered Jonglei for quite a while now!”

Richard Sallah Marona echoed similar sentiments: “We need accurate and full information from you. Otherwise, thank you so much for the great work.”

This widespread online support highlights Eye Radio’s vital role in keeping South Sudanese citizens informed during critical moments of the peace process.