Authority in Yei River County says 500 returnee households arrived in the area from the Democratic Republic of Congo over the weekend. Continue reading Yei River authorities receive 1,500 returnees from DR Congo
NBGs gov’t to allocate land for over 2,000 returnees
Northern Bahr al Ghazal’s government says it will soon allocate land to over 2000 homeless returnee families in the state. Continue reading NBGs gov’t to allocate land for over 2,000 returnees
Bahr el Ghazal Univ students stage protest over lack of food
Hundreds of students at the University of Bahr el Ghazal poured into Wau streets Monday morning to protest the lack of food ratios at the campus. Continue reading Bahr el Ghazal Univ students stage protest over lack of food
Two Killed, four injured in cattle raid in Mayendit County – Commissioner
At least two people were killed and four others injured in cattle-related violence in Mayendit County of Unity State over the weekend. Continue reading Two Killed, four injured in cattle raid in Mayendit County – Commissioner
Upper Nile govt, SSFA discuss re-organization of Malakal LFA
Malakal Footbal Association was affected by the civil war in 2013, and football activities stopped since then due to the war and some political interference.
Due to broken social fabrics, footballs clubs were formed along ethnic lines resulting into leadership disputes, hindering the reorganization of the association.
Consultations involving governor James Ohdok Oyay and General Agustino Maduot Parek aimed to address the challenges.
“Yesterday (Saturday), we reached to a solution that president said that he would hold a consultative meeting with the teams present there. Then another meeting will be held with the teams present inside the city, and after that they will hold a comprehensive meeting on how to elect a new union,” governor Odhok told Eye Radio on Sunday.
At the meeting, SSFA’s President, Mr. Madout stressed the importance of football as a unifying factor in promote peaceful coexistence among youth.
He called upon the Upper Nile government to support and promote football activities in the state to that regard.
Governor Oyay expressed his readiness to collaborate with the South Sudan Footabll Association to address the concerns.
He assured the President of SSFA that the government would provide a conducive environment for football activities.
He said they will hold meetings with various clubs at the Malakal Protection of Civilians’ site and those within the town to organize the clubs ahead of their elections.
He added that once this is done, the SSFA will determined the schedule for the elections and football activities. after the clubs in Malakal are organized.
“Of course, he (Mr Maduot) is the one who will determine the timetable because he is currently in the process of holding meetings with the conflicting clubs inside Malakal and those in the protection center,” he added.
Apparently, the clubs are busy with their administrative council elections, to be followed by the union elections.
2,500 South Sudanese from Sudan arrive home in Manyo County
About 2,500 South Sudanese from refugee camps in Sudan’s White Nile State arrived in Manyo County, Upper Nile State on Sunday. Continue reading 2,500 South Sudanese from Sudan arrive home in Manyo County
Joe Biden slightly trails Donald Trump in new 2024 poll
Former President Donald Trump leads President Joe Biden by 2 points in a new poll, 46% to 44%, as the 2024 race for the White House presses on, US Today, an online media reported.
The poll, released on Sunday from ABC News and Ipsos, also found that, among people already registered to vote, Biden has a razor-thin edge of one point, for a split of 46% to 45%. People “likely” to vote tend to favor Biden at 49% to Trump’s 45%.
The poll was conducted online from April 25 to April 30 among 2,200 adults, split roughly three ways between Republicans, Democrats and independent voters. The survey has a margin of sampling error of 2%, which can become a significant factor in close races.
Chadians head to polls to end military rule
Chadian are today casting votes to swift from junta-led states to democratic rule.
This will end a three-year transition imposed after the sudden death of long-serving leader Idriss Deby Itno while fighting rebels.
But as his son, and successor, Gen Mahamat Déby is one of the favourites to win, there is some scepticism about whether this will bring about change.
Prime Minister Succès Masra is among his nine challengers and is seen as his biggest rival.
Ten other politicians who had been hoping to run, including two prominent figures, Nassour Ibrahim Neguy Koursami and Rakhis Ahmat Saleh, were excluded by the constitutional council because of “irregularities”. For example, Mr Koursami was accused of forgery.
But some have argued that the decision to bar certain people was politically motivated.
Another potential opponent, Yaya Dillo, was killed by security forces in February while allegedly leading an attack on the National Security Agency in the capital, N’Djamena.
Activists have called for a boycott of the election that they termed a ploy to lend a sheen of democratic legitimacy to the Deby dynasty.
Many are still in exile following a deadly crackdown on opponents following protests in October 2022.
Nevertheless, Chad’s election is a milestone for countries in West and Central Africa that have fallen under military rule since a spate of coups began in 2020.
It may serve as a template for juntas seeking to maintain political influence after first coming to power illegitimately.
The oil-exporting country of nearly 18 million people has not had a free-and-fair transfer of power since independence from France in 1960.
Idriss Déby overthrew Hissène Habré in 1990 and remained in charge for the following three decades until his battlefield death in April 2021 at the age of 68.
His son, now 40, took over in what opponents described as a constitutional coup and initially pledged to stay on as interim leader for just 18 months, a period that was later extended. He also said that he would not run for president.
Gen Déby has tried to dismiss concerns that he is part of a dynasty.
“If I am elected, I will serve my five-year term and at the end of my term, it will be up to the people to judge me. As for a dynasty, our constitution is very clear – a candidate cannot serve more than two successive terms, “ he told the France 24 TV channel.
Mr Masra, who is also 40, was named prime minister by Gen Déby in January after a deal was brokered to mend political fractures from the October 2022 protests.
The economist has been accused by some of betraying the opposition but he has dismissed rumours of a secret post-election power-sharing agreement with Gen Déby.
He has urged Chadians to vote for him to end six decades of “obscurity” and “darkness”.
People are desperate for change in Chad.
But when it comes to the vote, there is a mixture of hope and despair.
Hope that this vote, whoever wins, could spark a new era of young leadership in the country, but despair as over the past three decades, life has become tougher for many in the country.
The results are expected to be released by 21 May, but a second round could be held in June if no candidate gains more than 50% of the vote in the first round.
535 graduate from Catholic University of South Sudan
Five hundred and thirty-five students have graduated this year from four campuses of the Catholic University of South Sudan.
The event took place at the main Campus in Juba on Saturday.
The students conferred with degrees and diplomas in specialized fields such Economics, Business, Education, Arts and Social Sciences, Agriculture, and Computer Science, have completed from the university’s branches in Yambio, Rumbek and Juba.
Stephen Ameyu Cardinal Mulla, who doubles as the university’s Chancellor and the Chair of the Sudan and South Sudan Bishops Conference affirmed the conferment of degrees and diplomas to the students.
“By the virtue vested on me by the Sudan and South Sudan Catholic Bishops Conference owner of Catholic University of South Sudan. I hereby declare on this day of Saturday the 4th of May, 2024 that those whose names have been called as annual 11th and the 12th groups of graduates of Catholic University of South Sudan in the same order the graduates are awarded diplomas in their area of specializations.”
Cardinal Mulla congratulated the graduates and encouraged them to be agents of change.
It’s not clear how many student obtained First Class Honors, but Angel Leke Omec is one of them.
Leke who studied Bachelors of Education in English and Literature under a church scholarship along with several others, dedicated her certificate to a catholic priest for the support to finish her tertiary education.
“In a special way, I thank Reverend Father Matthew Pagan, the Vice Chancellor of the Catholic University of South Sudan who granted me, and other students university scholarship, without which I would not have stood here.”
Leke has encouraged the university to continue offering scholarships to the needy students to uplift their lives.
“I implore the university to continue granting scholarship to needy students so that they can be empowered to make difference in their lives.”
On what next after college life, Leke said; “It is our responsibility to bring about positive change in our country, and the world by effectively applying the skills and knowledge we acquired not only for ourselves but to make our university proud.”
Kumuru Valerie Mbangi, a student of Catholic University at the Yambio campus is another who graduated with first class honors in Economics.
Mbangi encountered hurdles during his studies as the campus according to him, has ill-equipped labaray and lack reading materials, but relied on the internet to boost his studies and successfully complete his research work.
The graduates are the 11th and 12th batches since the establishment of the university in 2007.
EAC reviews single currency timelines as 2024 deadline pushed
East African Community Bank Governors have resolved to review timelines for the creation of a single currency as member states push the implementation to 2031 amid geopolitical tensions.
The regional bank governors reached the conclusion during an ordinary meeting chaired by South Sudan’s Bank Governor on 27 April in Juba.
In attendance were Mr Edouard Normand Bigendako, the Bank Governor of Burundi; Dr Kamau Thugge, Bank Governor of Kenya, Emmanuel M. Tutuba, Bank Governor of Tanzania; Dr. Thierry Migigo Kalisa, the Chief Economist at the National Bank of Rwanda and Dr. Adam Mugume who is the Executive Director at the Bank of Uganda.
The Bank Governors of the Democratic Republic of Congo and Somalia did not turn up and had not representatives at the meeting.
In a joint statement, the Governors who make up the East Africa Community Monetary Affairs Committee said they reviewed the status of the implementation of the March 2023 ordinary meeting which resolved the single currency reunion to 2031.
The Governor said partners states have made progress towards implementing price-based monitory policy frameworks.
These include harmonizing regional macroeconomic and financial statistics to support policy formulation, implementing EAC financial market structure, harmonizing principles and rules for the regulation and supervision of the region’s financial system.
Other achievements noted is the enhancement of risk and crisis management frameworks to ensure stability of the region’s financial system, adoption of climate risk awareness and promotion of the use of regional cross-border payment system.
The Bank governors have now reaffirmed their commitment to implementing the remaining activities set out in the revised monetary union roadmap to achieve a single currency by 2031.
They have tasked themselves to review the performance of the convergence criteria including the timelines to meet the deadline.
In the push for single currency, the regional bank governors will have to grapple with what they called increase inflation due to high global commodities exerting pressure on exchange rate and the adverse impact of climate-change and geopolitical tension.
“The region still faces unfavorable Global Financial conditions due to negative spill overs from geopolitical conflicts and the impact of climate change that continue to weigh on the economic performance of East African countries,” said Majok Nikodemo Arou , the spokesperson of Bank of South Sudan.
Despite improved GDP of the region, a rise from 2.8 to 8.1, the partners states, according to the bank governors, are confronted with high fuel and food import prices, costly market access and pressure on the exchange rate and foreign reserves.
“The region is confronted with high fuel and food import prices putting pressure on the exchange rate and foreign reserves.
‘The increase in inflation in 2022 and part of 2023 , driven by high global commodity prices mainly food and energy prices, have made significant strides towards implementing price-based monetary policy Frameworks harmonizing regional economics and financial statistics to support policy formulations,” he added.