Category: Singaita FM

Eastern Equatoria state government and Turkana County of Kenya have agreed to open the Nadapal border as an alternative highway to ease the movement of trucks into South Sudan

The Minister of Information in eastern Equatoria was in the border over the weekend to seal the deal on behalf of his government.

Earlier this month, the two countries reached an agreement to upgrade the roads to ease the movement of goods and services. That road construction said was started last week.

The passenger’s vehicle has been able to access the roads beside trucks due to numerous challenges, including insecurity and poor road condition, a driver said. It’s remained unclear what government would do to improve the situation.

Kenyan trucks drivers used the Nimule highway through Uganda into South Sudan.

Hon Patrick Oting Cyprian, Minister of Information in Eastern Equatoria state. He says the move is part of the Northern Corridor agreement, in which South Sudan was a member. 

“We discuss that small piece of land that was supposed to be graded to allow for the Nadapal border to be open so that the tracks can start moving from there because Nimule Border is so congested with so many trucks,“ he said

Hon Patrick Oting states that the road’s opening will bring about relative peace between the bordering communities. 

“If this border is open, even these issues of counter revenge and cattle raiding will stop. Instead of going for raiding, they will consider building the hotel and doing other things. That’s the importance of opening the border to be open,“ Oting added.

Last week, several people posted on social media stated the Kenyan army crossed inside South Sudan. Authority admitted the move but cautioned that it was not an attempt to invade the country by foreign forces.

Minister, Oting says the Kenyan soldiers were only in Nadapal to patrol the road construction on Thursday last week. He revealed the agreement to allow the South Sudanese army to take charge of the security and safety of construction workers that will enable Kenya to pull back its troops.

Four police officers have been detained for investigation after thieves broke into the traffic police offices and walked away with three million pounds. The suspected officers were on duty during the incident.

Police say the money stolen on Thursday night was an income generated through vehicle plates issuing to the public.

The acting director for traffic police in Eastern Equatoria, Lieutenant Colonel Faruk Yousif says the investigators will decide the prime suspect to pay the money.

“Yes, stealing has happened in our office, but investigation is still ongoing. If the government’s properties are stolen, its investigations are done at police office,” said Lt. Col. Faruk Yousif.

“We have not yet confirmed how much the money is because people who are working in the place of money are at police custody. That is the money of every week, after report, this money is send every Friday to Juba because this is the money of the companies. By then these companies, they have account, but up to now they have not given us account for us to remit in; we are sending through money transfer. Every Friday we send this money and this money was stolen on Thursday night, it has not reached Friday,” he added.

Yousif further explained that the premises were guarded by four police officers, but they failed to secure the area.

When asked about public property safety, the officer said thieves are everywhere and are uncontrollable.

“Four people were working, but this compound is big. A thief does not know office of security or any office. A thief is everywhere only on judgement day, but any place where there is human being, a thief is there. There is not place where he is there and place where he is not. Even in the office of national security, these are human being, they are not angels and so a place where there is a human being, there is a crime,” said Faruk Yousif.

Police Inspector in Torit Municipal Council who is the spokesperson for police in Eastern Equatoria Major Justine Kelopaus Takuru told Singaita that the real suspected thieves are on run and authorities will continue hunting for them.

“The report is true. We opened a case and sent official there and found there is breakdown of the door. They broke the office of the director and jump over to the finance office. They break the box and took a lot of money, two million seven hundred and sixty five thousand. A case is opened and investigation in ongoing,” said Major Justine Kelopaus Takuru.

The theft at the Police station has raised concern from the public about the safety of their properties.

By Sisto Ohide Gideon and Everlye Losike

As Defection continue to hit the main armed opposition party to the peace agreement in South Sudan, a senior SPLA-IO in Eastern Equatoria has announced his defection to President Salva Kiir’s side becoming the first commander to defect in the state.

Brigadier General Solomon Peter Angelo declared his allegiance to South Sudan People’s Defense forces under President Kiir command. He says blames his former Chairman of mismanaging the affairs of the party and abandoning soldiers at the training and cantonment sites.

General Solomon who defected from Rambur Training Center was the former administrator in AnyaNya Division in Aswa Cantonment site and was attending training as a senior police office at the centre.

In a letter seen by Singaita FM, he alleged that the party is no longer relevant with political realities for which it was formed for.

General Peter says his defection comes after realizing that his former party chairman lost the direction to control the movement.

He says IO is now divided and he is not interested to go back to the bush.

“Our chairman is already lost his direction to the movement, this is the reason why I don’t want to again be with him, and we IOs we are now divided, Simon Gatwech already got his side” his resignation letter reads in part.

“I’m a son of Eastern Equatoria, I don’t want to go back to the bush. If those people now they are divided why would I still stay with IO? Let me join my citizens, let me join my government rather than to go back to the bush, that is why I decided to join the government because our chairman is now messed up,” the letter reads.

Brigadier General Solomon Peter says he was warmly received by the National security service in Lira. He says his defection is effective from seventh of September 2021

SPLM/A-IO spokesperson confirm the defection of General Solomon to SSPDF.

Colonel Lam Paul Gabriel describes the defection as a violation to the peace deal.

“We know about that so I don’t think it is right for him to claim that he move from SPLA-IO; SPLA-IO have already handed him over to the transitional government of National Unity where he is going to be a national, if he suppose a soldier a national army, but he suppose a police officer not the one loyal to the party, but he decided to move back one step forward, that means a backward and now defect to SSPDF. It is surprising, but as far as the agreement is concern is a violation. For us SPLA-IO we look at that as a violation of the highest order something that need to really be stop. This, culture of defection is not helping. We just surprise that he declared his defection to the SSPDF from Lira

General Solomon blamed the SPLA-IO for abandoning the forces at the training centre and cantonment sites, but Paul dismissed the claims saying it is not the responsibility of the party any more.

Colonel Lam says the Joint Defense Force, joint monitoring ceasefire commission and National Transitional committee chaired by Tut Gatlauk is responsible for the training and cantonment centers.

When asked about implementation of security arrangement, the military spokesperson says there are people who are against the implementation.

“There are people who are against the implementation of security arrangement in particular the unification of command and the graduation of these forces. These crossing over is sponsored, I know there are challenges,” said Lam Paul, the SPLA-IO spokesperson.

“We need to be nationalistic with the national agenda to stabilize this country for the greater good, but crossing over is not going to solve this problem, is going to create more problem. Instead of moving forward is dragging the feet of everyone backward, but I would like to assure our people in the Eastern Equatoria that the defection is not going to cause us any challenges, he move as an individual.”

Col. Lam Paul assure the people of Eastern Equatoria state that the defection will not cause any changes to the peace implementation process.

Defection has continue to hit the SPLM/A-IO party with many senior Generals and political figures accusing the party’s leadership of failing to control the army and it structures.

The Governor of Eastern Equatoria state has repeated his government’s commitment to implement the revitalized peace agreement.

Hon Louis Labong Lojore said the government would continue to disseminate the agreement to citizens in remote areas and ensure they participate in the process.

He called the International community to support South Sudan achieve peace through the deal parties signed in 2018

The governor made remarks during three days’ workshop UN Mission in South Sudan organized under the theme “working together and consolidating peace through political engagement and good governance’.’ It aims to create a conducive environment for implementing the revitalized peace agreement.

Labong said the government is using the available resources for the state’s sustainable development.

 “We in eastern Equatoria are so much committed to the implementation of the peace agreement. We are very much to reconciliation using the little resource that we have for sustainable development”. 

Lojore emphasized the need for a strategic plan to mobilize local resources to shun dependency on foreign aids.

“We must plan to liberate ourselves from dependence on foreign aids. Chiefs, we should not wait for help from people every day. I am hearing our people are now used to that when food will come, when UN will bring food, these should stop and let’s produce our food.” 

The Head of the UNMISS field office in Torit, Caroline Waudu, called the political leaders to accept criticism and work for peace, unity, and development. She said the forum UN initiated is hoping to help leaders discuss issues affecting peace implementation.

 “The forum is aimed at creating a very conducive environment for the implementation of the revitalized peace agreement, including cooperation among the appointed officials and the peace partners collectively. We need to develop our state, provide security, and deliver services to each citizen in Eastern Equatoria.

“Leaders need to understand one another and respect each other’s ideas even if they belong to a different political party or hold a different opinion. I call on you as leaders to handle criticism constructively in a mature way and work for peace, unity, development of every citizen of Eastern Equatoria”, said Waudu.

The forum brought together traditional chiefs, youth, women leaders, and top government officials at the state, including Commissioners and state Ministers, on Friday 25th June.

Hundreds of residents in Kapoeta town gathered at Freedom Square to commemorate the “Day of African child” with calls to protect children and support their education.

In 1991, the OAU Organisation of African Unity, the current African Union, dedicated 16 June as Day to honors those who participated in the Soweto Uprising in 1976.

The Director-General for Gender, child and social welfare, Mr. Thomas Nawi, encourages partner NGOs to work together for the children’s freedom.

 “I encourage all the partners to put their hands together in such occasion that lead to help people in the entire people in the communities in this country to reflect freedom and human right we are to give a chance to all children in all time to remember freedom children not allow to exercise.”

The Manager of an International NGO known as Root of Generation, Clement Loboi, said their responsibility to create a conducive environment for children would not stop.

“The implementation of the plan 2040 for an Africa fir for children is indeed our effort to make sure we create a conducive environment for our children we know in our daily lives in our homes, in our communities in our school’s children under a lot of challenges our children are not getting access to proper education they are not getting adequate access to health care due to lack of health care facilities.” 

Save the Children’s Child protection officer Joseph Lokulang told the parents to prepare their children for a better future.

“We need to support children, give them maximum support in our community. We need to ensure that their needs are met, and through doing this, we can be able to give children a perfect environment to go.”

The Day of African Child is commemorate annually on 16^th June.

South Sudan Red Cross has condemned the youth attack of office at Torit Eastern Equatoria State. Unidentified mob crowds attack Red Cross on May 31st, assaulting humanitarian workers.  

Six staff and two volunteer members were reportedly assaulted, forcing the branch to suspend its activities over an incident temporarily.  The motive of the attack remains unclear. 

Secretary-General of South Sudan Red Cross John Labor says the attack on humanitarian workers was unacceptable. He announced his office is engaging the community to resolve the matter.  

It is not the first-time humanitarians’ workers suffered attacks in South Sudan. Several incidents related to intimidation and killing of aid workers have been reported in some parts of the country.  

“We call the community leaders and authorities to ensure the safety of our staff, volunteers, and property to facilitate Red Cross’s work,” said John. 

The police department confirmed that investigating is underway to hold perpetrators accountable. 

Justine Kelopas Takuru Police spokesperson in Eastern Equatoria state narrated the incident occurred at Omoliha market MTN center; although the victim was beaten, he is safe.  

“Angry youths confiscate vehicle keys from the driver. We are following the law, according to the statement of the investigation,” Kelopas said. 

South Sudan Red Cross has been working in Torit Eastern Equatoria State since 2004 on nutrition, health, water, and sanitation programs.  

Last month, Monye-Miji petitioned the ministry of public service, labor, and human resource development demanding fair employment in the NGOs sector in the counties of greater Torit.