Economic crisis fuels illegal arms trade in South Sudan – CEPO
South Sudan’s deepening economic crisis, which has resulted in more than a year of unpaid salaries for organized forces, is driving a surge in illegal arms trading, with dangerous consequences for peace and stability, the Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO) has warned. CEPO Executive Director Edmund Yakani said the worsening financial hardship is pushing […]
CEPO decries atrocities in Yei River County
South Sudanese civil society leader Edmund Yakani has condemned a brutal attack on Yari and Payawa villages in Yei River County, Central Equatoria, allegedly carried out by forces of the Sudan People’s Liberation Army-In Opposition (SPLA-IO). The assault, which occurred on August 2, has left several children severely injured and displaced dozens of families. Community […]
Political indiscipline threatens peace in South Sudan, Yakani warns
The Executive Director of the Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO), Mr. Edmund Yakani, has issued a stern warning that South Sudan’s fragile peace is at serious risk due to deep-rooted political indiscipline and the persistent use of violence by the ruling political class. Speaking in response to the collapse of the Tumaini Declaration, an […]
Stop governing through crisis: activist slams leaders for using violence to cling to power
Activist Edmond Yakani has accused the country’s leaders of deliberately using violence and instability as a political tool to gain and maintain power, demanding an immediate end to what he called their ‘political immaturity.’ Yakani, the outspoken Executive Director of the Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO), did not mince words as he condemned a […]
Final warning: CEPO to name individuals behind Tombura ethnic violence
In a bold and emotionally charged address, Edmond Yakani, Executive Director of the civil society organization CEPO, has issued a final warning to powerful elites in Western Equatoria over their alleged involvement in the ongoing ethnic violence in Tombura and surrounding counties. Yakani announced that from September 12 to International Peace Day on September 21, […]
SSRA commended for transparency after reporting SSP 984 B in non-oil revenue
The Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO) has applauded the South Sudan Revenue Authority (SSRA) for its commitment to transparency after disclosing a record SSP 984.4 billion in non-oil revenue collected for the 2024/2025 fiscal year. The commendation was issued by CEPO’s Executive Director, Edmund Yakani, following the public announcement by SSRA Commissioner General Simon […]
Bloodshed in Tombura: Civil Society demands urgent action to halt ethnic killings
Tambura County in Western Equatoria State is once again the epicenter of deadly violence, with alarming reports of systematic killings, rape, looting, and forced displacement targeting certain community. Over the past week, villages such as Sanakpuru, Bangaru, Zangia, Kutu, and Nabaria have come under attack, forcing hundreds to flee into the forests without food, shelter, […]
CEPO warns of rising violence and forced displacement in South Sudan
The Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO) has raised alarm over a growing wave of armed violence and forced displacement across South Sudan, calling for urgent political action to rescue the country’s fragile peace process. In a statement on Sunday, CEPO Executive Director Edmond Yakane voiced deep concern over the increasing trend of internal displacement […]
Yakani takes regional stage as IGAD peace forum rapporteur
Edmund Yakani, Executive Director of the Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO), has been elected Rapporteur of the IGAD Civil Society Peace Forum, a key platform for amplifying non-state voices in regional peacebuilding efforts. The announcement was made during the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) Civil Society Forum held in Kenya, bringing together activists and […]
Police point to parents in Juba’s rising gang crisis
The South Sudan National Police Service (SSNPS) has blamed parental neglect for the growing wave of youth gang activity in Juba. According to police spokesperson Maj. Gen. James Monday Enoka, many of the young people arrested in recent operations lacked proper guidance at home, which he says has contributed to their involvement in criminal behavior. […]
