At least 100 police officers from the Sudan People’s Liberation Army in Opposition (SPLA-IO), commanded by First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar, have defected to the South Sudan People’s Defence Force.

Addressing the press at the National Security Headquarters in Juba, Col. John Mabu, who is commanding the forces, announced that they are abandoning Machar for Kiir.

“Today, we are pleased to announce our official defection to the ruling party under the supreme commander of all organized forces, Gen Salva Kiir Mayardit,” he said.

“We are here to work with all units in South Sudan. We were passed out after training in Rejaf on August 30, 2022, and we are ready to protect the property of South Sudanese and do all our police duties. We are for peace and we come for peace, we are 113 personnel and more are expected to join soon.”

In their position document, the defectors criticized the SPLA-IO for a lack of defined political and military goals and stated that national peace and security are their primary priorities.

Meanwhile, David John Kumuri, spokesperson for the National Security Services (NSS) Internal Security Bureau, who received the forces, stated that, “Again today, the NSS has received One Hundred and Thirteen – 113 SPLA-IO forces under the command of Col. John Mabu and other forces based in Panyume area of Morobo County.”

“In this respect, the NSS welcomes the group’s position and hereafter assures that the safety and security of their forces is paramount, and as well, integration into all forces of the government shall be contemplated.”

The NSS reaffirmed that the organized forces and the government are working around the clock with all holdout groups to improve the security and protection of South Sudanese citizens and property.

Earlier, over 300 SPLA-IO officers, commanded by First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar, defected to the South Sudan People’s Defence Force.

The groups included 259 National Security Services personnel from Gut-Makur training in Western Equatoria State and 48 troops from the Wunlet training center in Central Equatoria State.

Yet, this month, over 2,000 active personnel from the South Sudan Opposition Alliance (SSOA), led by Brigadier General Samir Ibrahim David, defected to the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) under President Salva Kiir.

According to the defectors, the group includes 105 army officers, 650 police officers, 668 prison service officers, 400 wildlife officers, and 506 fire brigade officers. By Sylvester, The City Review

Healthcare professionals across the country on Monday gathered to prepare for the upcoming launch of two life-saving vaccines, the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) and the rotavirus vaccine, on 24 May.

The symposium was organized by South Sudanese Women in Medicine (SWAM) under the theme “Rallying South Sudan’s Healthcare Professionals for Humanly Possible PCV and ROTA Vaccine” as part of World Immunization Week celebrations.

The symposium brought together doctors, nurses, pharmacists, dentists, public health experts, and key partners from UNICEF and WHO to mobilize support for the official vaccine introduction scheduled for late May.

Speaking at the event, Dr. Koiti Emmily, co-founder and Executive Director of SWAM, described the day as a critical moment in South Sudan’s public health journey.

“After years of advocacy, perseverance, and planning, South Sudan is finally poised to introduce vaccines that will significantly reduce mortality and morbidity among children under five,” she said. “Pneumonia and diarrhea should not be death sentences for our children. Today is about forging a united front to ensure no child dies from a disease we can prevent.”

The symposium aimed to sensitize healthcare workers on the importance of the vaccines, foster collaboration across specialties, and reinforce public trust amid the shift in the vaccine launch date.

Dr. Atem Nathan, Director General of Primary Healthcare Services at the Ministry of Health, emphasized the urgency of the effort.

“Today marks a significant milestone in our healthcare journey. Malaria, pneumonia, and diarrhea are the top three killers in South Sudan,” he stated. “Last year, the introduction of the malaria vaccine faced challenges due to low uptake. We cannot afford to repeat those mistakes with PCV and the rotavirus vaccine.”

According to Dr. Atem, pilot programs in Upper Nile State have already demonstrated the vaccines’ effectiveness, notably reducing cases of pneumonia.

“This is our opportunity to scale up what we know works. Despite the challenges of vast geography, poor infrastructure, and cold chain limitations, we must work around them,” he stressed. “No child should be left behind. Every child vaccinated is a life saved, a family preserved, and a future secured.”

Highlighting the role of frontline healthcare workers, Mukwaya Douglas, Cold Chain Specialist Officer for UNICEF South Sudan, outlined the critical partnership between UNICEF, WHO, and the government.

“UNICEF is leading the logistics and social behaviour change efforts, while WHO handles policy guidelines and surveillance. Healthcare workers are the first point of contact for caregivers. You must be equipped with accurate information to answer tough questions and build trust,” he explained. “At the national level, we are 78 percent ready according to the readiness tool, and we are working tirelessly to ensure state and county levels catch up. We have already received 2.7 million doses of PCV and 300,000 doses of the rotavirus vaccine, with more shipments to follow.”

Training of health workers at the national level has been completed, and cascade trainings at the state and county levels will begin after the ongoing measles campaign concludes.

Throughout the event, speakers repeatedly called for strengthened community engagement to ensure successful vaccine uptake.

Dr. Koiti also shared the broader mission of SWAM, a membership-based non-profit that unites South Sudanese female doctors, pharmacists, and dentists to address gender disparities in healthcare leadership.

“You hardly hear of female healthcare professionals leading initiatives like this. We are here to change that narrative,” she declared. “We believe women must have a voice not only at the bedside but also in policymaking.”

The event concluded with a call for continuous dialogue and similar forums in the future to maintain momentum. Radio Tamazuj

He was officially received at Aden Abdullah International Airport by Somalia’s Deputy Foreign Minister, Isaac Mohamud Mursal. Both emphasized the importance of promoting bilateral cooperation.

The visit marks Somalia’s addition to Russia’s growing list of African partners as the Kremlin strengthens its influence in Africa through economic diplomacy, security cooperation, and political engagement. 

In a statement after the meeting, Mursal reaffirmed Somalia’s commitment to deepening relations with Russia. According to the Deputy Foreign Minister, Somalia is ready to deepen cooperation in energy, infrastructure, and trade.

“We are pleased to welcome Deputy Foreign Minister Bogdanov to Somalia and look forward to expanding our partnership in the coming years,” Mursal said.

Somalia’s location on key sea routes and its efforts to rebuild after years of conflict make it a key partner for countries vying for influence in Africa. 

Russia’s engagement in Somalia underscores Moscow’s broader efforts to forge alliances in underserved but strategically important regions—a pattern that has intensified across Africa in recent years.

Although Bogdanov’s visit comes at a time Russia is trying to grow its influence in Africa, the discussions are expected to pave the way for greater Russian involvement in Somalia’s economic and security development.

For Somalia, strengthening ties with Moscow is an effort to diversify its international partnerships and attract new investment, infrastructure development, and security cooperation. However, for Moscow, the Horn of Africa is a region where stability, access to critical ports, and natural resources are important for global trade. Source: Horseed Media

Kenya’s national youth athletics teams reigned supreme, dominating the East African Regional (EAAR) Championships in Zanzibar, Tanzania, where they floored four other nations to bag a staggering 12 gold medals.

A single Kenyan athlete also clinched three gold awards, underlining the country’s growing dominance at the youth level. The combined national men’s and women’s Under-18 and Under-20 teams, who jetted back on Sunday morning, April 27, emerged overall winners after edging out competition from four countries during the two-day EAAR Championships held at Zanzibar’s Amani Stadium from Friday, April 25 to Saturday, April 26.

During the event, which featured hosts Tanzania, Eritrea, Uganda, South Sudan and Kenya, the national youth teams scooped 12 gold, four silver and five bronze medals, topping the regional athletics table with a total of 21 medals to be crowned overall champions.

Speaking to People Sports, Kenya’s national U-18 and U-20 team leader of delegation cum Team Manager Joseph Ilovi attributed the country’s outstanding performance to the strong youth athletics foundation established by Athletics Kenya (AK).

“The Kenya government, through AK, has funded the establishment of 56 youth training camps across various counties such as South Rift, North Rift, Central Rift, the Kaptama camp in Mt. Elgon, three camps in Kisii, and others in far-flung areas like Garissa and Isiolo, where significant talent nurturing and development is taking place,” Ilovi explained.

He added: “During school holidays in April, August, and December, these youth athletes are kept busy training at the government-funded AK camps. When schools reopen, they continue with training as part of their co-curricular activities. That is why our youth athletes performed better overall at the EAAR Championships in Zanzibar.”

Ilovi further noted that the athletes who earned honours for Kenya were selected during the recent Kenya Secondary Schools Sports Association (KSSSA) national games held at Shanzu Teachers Training College (STTC) in Mombasa.

“After selection by AK at the end of the national KSSSA games, the athletes were put through rigorous preparation for two weeks before departing for Zanzibar for the EAAR Championships,” Ilovi said.

During the championships, Kenya’s Under-20 athlete David Kapaiko registered an outstanding performance, winning three gold medals in the men’s Under-18 category races—1,500m, 5,000m, and as a member of the 4x400m relay team alongside Daniel Wasike, Antony Lemoshira, and Nashon Kiech, who clocked 3:23.19. By Bosco Magare, People Daily