20/08/2026
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LEAKED: TARIFFS ON THE RISE: The Untold Story Behind South Sudan’s Expensive Mobile Services.
Hon. Adut Salva Kiir Mayardit Is The Real Reason Behind South Sudan's Telecom Tariff Increase, Not Minister Ateny Wek Ateny.
A Story of Failed Promises and Citizen Exploitation in the Republic of South Sudan.
The people of South Sudan are currently facing a sudden increase in telecommunication tariffs. Many citizens are angry at MTN, DIGITEL, and ZAIN for raising their prices. However, the real reason behind this increase has nothing to do with the telecom companies themselves. The true cause lies with a government official and a failed road project that has now become a burden on ordinary citizens.
The Background of the Nimule-Juba Road
Fifteen years ago, the United States government, through USAID, constructed the Nimule-Juba road. This road was built with American money and served as a vital connection between the capital city Juba and the border town of Nimule. However, the construction was only the beginning. The responsibility for maintaining this road fell entirely on the South Sudanese government.
For fifteen years, the government failed to maintain the road properly. Over time, the road deteriorated badly. What was once a smooth highway has become a rough and dangerous path, full of potholes and cracks. Vehicles struggled to travel on it, and the road became a symbol of government neglect.
The African Development Bank Steps In
As the road condition worsened, the African Development Bank decided to help. They approved a loan of 220 million US dollars for the repair of the Nimule-Juba road. This was a generous offer meant to help South Sudan fix a critical piece of infrastructure.
This is where the story takes a troubling turn. Adut Salva Kiir, the President's Special Envoy, became involved in the project. Through various means, she ensured that one of her own companies won the contract to repair the road. This is a common problem in many countries where officials use their positions to benefit themselves rather than the public.
The Contract and the Missing Money
By the end of 2025, Adut received 25% of the total contract amount. This came to 70 million US dollars. She was supposed to begin the renovation work in January 2026. The money was given to her with the expectation that work would start immediately.
However, when the African Development Bank checked on the project recently, they discovered something shocking. The renovation had never started at all. No work had been done on the road. The bank officials demanded an explanation. Why had the project not begun?
The Desperate Response
Adut asked for one month to figure out what to do. The African Development Bank agreed to give her this time. But instead of using this month to start the road work honestly, Adut made a decision that would affect every citizen in South Sudan.
She immediately summoned Ateny Wek Ateny, the Minister of Information, Telecommunication and Postal Service. She also called in the three major telecommunication companies: MTN, DIGITEL, and ZAIN. She gave them a simple but impossible demand. They had to raise 70 million US dollars in just 21 days.
The threat was clear: any telecom company that failed to comply would lose its license to operate in South Sudan. This was not a request. It was an order backed by government power.
The Companies' Response
The telecom companies had no choice but to comply. They sat down with Minister Ateny Wek Ateny and made a plan. The only way to raise such a large amount of money quickly was to increase customer tariffs. And so, the prices for mobile services, data, and calls went up overnight.
It is important to understand that this was not the companies' idea. They were forced into this situation. The real responsibility lies with Adut Salva Kiir. She put the telecom companies in an impossible position, and now the citizens of South Sudan are paying the price.
A Pattern of Exploitation
What makes this situation worse is that the telecom companies may continue charging higher prices even after they have raised the 70 million dollars. They see this as an opportunity to increase their profits permanently. The suffering of the people will continue long after the immediate crisis is resolved.
The citizens of South Sudan must understand that their suffering is not because of the telecom companies alone. Adut Salva Kiir is the one truly responsible for this recent increase. She created a crisis by failing to use the 70 million dollars for its intended purpose, and now she is passing the cost to the people.
The Uncertain Future
The big question remains: what will happen next? Will Adut use this newly raised money to finally renovate the Nimule-Juba road? Or will she simply return the money to the African Development Bank and leave the road broken as it is?
Neither option seems satisfactory. If she uses the telecom money to fix the road, the people will have paid for infrastructure through higher phone bills. If she returns the money, the road will remain in terrible condition, and the people will have suffered higher tariffs for nothing.
This story reveals a deeper problem in South Sudan's governance. Officials like Adut Salva Kiir are able to misuse public funds and then shift the burden onto ordinary citizens. The people of South Sudan deserve better. They deserve leaders who will be honest with public money and who will not sacrifice citizen welfare for personal gain.
The recent telecom tariff increase is not just about phone prices. It is about a broken system where the powerful exploit the weak. Until this system changes, the people of South Sudan will continue to suffer for the mistakes of their leaders.
The Kapital Press—Releasing The Hidden
