By Hou Akot Hou A Woman named Awa Hussein has been sentenced to six years in prison for attempting to traffic two children last year through Wau after luring their mothers with promises of humanitarian assistance. The incident occurred in Northern Bahr el Ghazal state. The state police spokesperson, Madut[Read More…]
News
Revenue Authority orders end to non-humanitarian tax breaks at Mombasa port Officials from the South Sudan Revenue Authority (SSRA) hold an operational meeting at the Port of Mombasa, Kenya. The high-level delegation gathered to discuss new directives on fiscal discipline and revenue mobilization. (Photo: SSRA Media Unit) By Kei Emmanuel Duku The South Sudan Revenue Authority (SSRA) has launched a sweeping crackdown on tax waivers, ordering its officials to immediately halt all non-humanitarian exemptions at the Port of Mombasa. The directive marks a significant shift in the country’s economic policy as the government moves to recover millions in lost revenue. The order was delivered on Tuesday by SSRA Commissioner General, Hon. William Anyuon Kuol, during a high-level operational assessment in Mombasa. Accompanied by Customs Commissioner Akech Tong and a delegation of senior advisors, Anyuon told staff that the era of easy exemptions is over. “In case of any exemption that has come from last Friday up to today, you must cancel it and ensure taxes are paid. There are no more exemptions,” the Commissioner General declared. “Any exemptions already on your table should be treated as cancelled.” This decision follows the “Memo on Fiscal Discipline and Economic Recovery” recently presented by Finance Minister Dr. Bak Barnaba Chol and approved by the Council of Ministers under the chairmanship of President Salva Kiir Mayardit. Anyuon emphasized that the move is a critical part of safeguarding national funds in line with ongoing reforms. “The directive is clear: unless you are delivering life-saving aid, the bill must be paid,” an agency spokesperson added. “We are moving from a culture of waivers to a culture of accountability.” However, the government is maintaining a narrow window for essential aid. Commissioner General Anyuon clarified that the only legally recognized tax breaks currently apply to humanitarian organizations, including UN agencies and both international and local NGOs. Even these remain under intense scrutiny. “You need to verify whether the goods being imported match what the government has exempted,” Anyuon warned port officials. “The contents of the containers must correspond with the approved exemptions.” The shift was welcomed by Bulis Maker, the Assistant Commissioner in charge of Mombasa operations, who noted that widespread tax waivers have long drained the national treasury. “As a government, we lose a lot through exemptions,” Maker stated while addressing the staff. “This is government policy, and as implementers and regulators, we must enforce what the government has decided. Exemptions not meant for humanitarian purposes should come to an end.” By closing these loopholes at the Port of Mombasa, the government hopes to generate the necessary funds to support critical public programs. As one official put it, “Mombasa is the gateway to our economy, and today, we have placed a lock on the door to revenue leakage.” The Port of Mombasa in Kenya serves as the primary maritime gateway for almost all cargo destined for South Sudan. As a landlocked nation, South Sudan relies heavily on this corridor for the import of fuel, food, and medicine. Historically, the “exemption” system has been a major source of revenue leakage, with critics arguing that commercial imports were often improperly classified to avoid taxes. By enforcing the new “Fiscal Discipline” memo directly at the port, the SSRA aims to capture revenue at the source before goods begin the transit to Juba.
By Kei Emmanuel Duku The South Sudan Revenue Authority (SSRA) has launched a sweeping crackdown on tax waivers, ordering its officials to immediately halt all non-humanitarian exemptions at the Port of Mombasa. The directive marks a significant shift in the country’s economic policy as the government moves to recover millions[Read More…]
GOVERNMENT : Set measures to stabilize the economy
By Chol D. Johnson The government is set to implement economic stabilization and structural reforms passed last week by the cabinet. Speaking during the press conference on Wednesday, Minister of Finance and Planning Bak Barnaba Chol announced that the reforms will now move into the implementation phase. “After the announcement,[Read More…]
Police Reports Decline in Crime Rates in Yei River County
By James Innocent Police authorities in Yei River County, Central Equatoria State, say crime levels in the area have declined since the beginning of January, despite ongoing economic hardship facing the population. The Inspector of Police for Yei River County, Ali Abdallah Tiff, told journalists that the police have recorded[Read More…]
Parents urged to Send Children to School
By James Innocent Parents in Yei River County, Central Equatoria State, have been encouraged to send their children to school amid growing concerns over school dropouts and child labour. The call was made by Alice Ciama, Chairlady of the Yei River County Women Association, who said many children are spending[Read More…]
Emergency Health Kits, Therapeutic Food Delivered to Remote Akobo
By Alan Clement Life-saving medical supplies, including emergency health kits, anti-malarial drugs and therapeutic food, have arrived in Akobo County after weeks of delays, targeting disease and malnutrition risks in eastern Jonglei. The delivery marks the first humanitarian flight to land in Akobo in nearly a month, restoring a critical[Read More…]
State Budget Targets Salary Payments Amid Fiscal Pressures
By Alan Clement Northern Bahr El Ghazal’s State Legislative Assembly has approved a SSP 40.5 billion budget for 2025/2026, prioritising civil servant salaries and government operations, now awaiting the Governor’s assent to become law. In a statement from the State’s press unit, the Speaker of the Assembly, Rt. Hon. Abuk[Read More…]
Government to Withdraw Support from 101 Health Facilities
By Chol D. Johnson The government will withdraw support from 101 health facilities assessed as having low functionality, as part of adjustments to keep the Health Sector Transformation Project (HSTP) viable. Speaking on Tuesday during a press briefing, Minister of Health Sarah Cleto Rial announced that support will be withdrawn[Read More…]
NBGs donates vehicle to Youth association
By Hou Akot Hou Northern bahr el Ghazal state (NBGs) youth union has officially received on Monday a vehicle from the office of the Governor. In a letter of appreciation letter seen by this outlet, the youth union expressed their gratitude for the receipt of the donated vehicle. The handover[Read More…]
UNMISS Engages Yei Civil Society on Insecurity and Humanitarian Challenges
By James Innocent The United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) has held a one-day consultative forum with civil society organizations in Yei River County to discuss key security and humanitarian challenges affecting local communities. The meeting, led by UNMISS Team Leader James Mugo Murithihi, brought together UNMISS officials from[Read More…]
Family of Late Politician Presses Government for Representation and Recognition
By Alan Clement The family of late Steward Soroba Budia has urged South Sudan’s government to honor his political legacy, saying exclusion from national recognition deepens their grief and diminishes his liberation struggle contributions. In a letter dated February 2 and addressed to President Salva Kiir, the family expressed “deep[Read More…]
AU Demands South Sudan Elections by December 2026
By Kei Emmanuel Duku The African Union has put South Sudan’s political class on test, declaring that the time for delay is over and a democratic transition must be delivered by December 2026. In a high-stakes communiqué from its 1326th meeting, the AU Peace and Security Council warned that there[Read More…]
Kiir dismisses Press secretary, chief administrator
By Jacob Onuha Nelson The President of Republic of South Sudan Salva Kiir Mayardit has dismissed the Press secretary and the chief administrator in the President office. In a statement issued Tuesday on Presidential Press Unit, the Office of the President publicly informed the citizens about new changes. According to[Read More…]
inter – communal violence leaves Two injured in Hiyala payam
By Jacob Onuha Nelson At least Two people were injured in an alleged renewed inter-communal violence between Haforiere Boma and Hiyala Payam of Torit County in Eastern Equatoria State. In an exclusive interview on Tuesday with Samuel Attari Kume, Sub – Chief of Haforiere Boma, confirmed the incident. “The incident[Read More…]
BUDGET: Finance Minister presents SSP 8.58 trillion
By Alan Clement South Sudan has tabled an SSP 8.58 trillion national budget for FY 2025/26, projecting a fiscal deficit of SSP 1.58 trillion as the government prioritises stabilisation, debt servicing and salaries. The Government of South Sudan on Tuesday presented its draft national budget for the 2025/26 fiscal year[Read More…]
MSF to hand Kajo-Keji healthcare services back to government
By Kei Emmanuel Duku After three years of intensive medical intervention in a region once silenced by civil war, the international medical charity Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has announced it will hand over healthcare operations in Kajo-Keji County to the South Sudanese government. The transition marks a pivotal milestone for[Read More…]
Over 20 Children Receive Baptism at St. Paul Chapel in Yei
By James Innocent At least twenty children received baptism on Sunday at St. Paul Chapel under the Catholic Diocese of Yei. This event marked a significant religious step for the Christian community in Yei River County, Central Equatoria State. Presiding over the ceremony, the Parish Priest of Christ the King[Read More…]
UN Urges Whole-of-Society Mental Health Action as South Sudan Struggles to Close Care Gaps
By Alan Clement South Sudan faces a worsening mental health crisis fuelled by conflict, displacement and underfunded health services, even as the United Nations urges urgent action to tackle stigma, expand care and promote resilience and recovery. As the UN increasingly frames mental health as a universal human right and[Read More…]
Torit Commissioner Links Economic Recovery to Farming and Lasting Peace
By Chol D. Johnson The Commissioner of Torit County, Lokan Charles, has emphasized that agriculture is the key to overcoming economic hardship in South Sudan. In an interview with the media over the weekend, Lokan urged citizens of Torit to return to farming, stressing that agriculture is central to rebuilding[Read More…]
CES sets preparations for Launching of Youth Union Convention
By Alan Clement Central Equatoria State, Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports Rita Dominic Lodu, has reconstituted the Steering Committee to organize the 3rd Central Equatoria State Youth Union Convention. In a ministerial order seen by this outlet, the directive is grounded in Republican Decree No. 08/2022, Article 110(1)[Read More…]