The world’s youngest capital city has little to celebrate on the first anniversary of the formation of its country’s transitional government. Established on 29 April 2016 and led by President Salva Kiir, South Sudan’s government was conceived as part of the solution to a seemingly irresolvable three-year civil war. But less than three months after the announcement, renewed fighting between warring factions broke out in Juba, killing more than 300 people, displacing tens of thousands and throwing the city and country into an ongoing state of unrest.
“[The anniversary] is a disappointment; three months after the formation of government there was war – you don’t expect people to be elated,” said one Juba resident who asked for anonymity.
A year after what should have ushered South Sudan into a state of tranquility, insecurity continues to reign over the capital and its 370,000 inhabitants.
Juba in numbers …
2,000 Greek expatriates lived in Juba in the early 1920s; they were primarily merchants tasked with supplying the British army
14 or under – the age group of almost half of Juba’s population, with only 3% over the age of 65, according to World Vision
260,280 households in Juba are estimated to be food insecure. This means that people don’t have reliable access to enough nutritious food
135 pupils can be found in one classroom in some of Juba’s government-run schools. Overcrowding is a major issue when it comes to education
50 – the temperature in centigrade reached in Juba, turning the Nile river into a popular destination for cooling off
191 – the percentage rise in the price of the most important staple cereal in South Sudan. “Such hyperinflation is eroding the purchasing power of households and many households are no longer able to meet their basic food needs,” says World Food Programme country director Joyce Luma.
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History in 100 words
Situated west of the White Nile, Juba was first conceived as a permanent station for Christian missionaries in 1920 and quickly became an administrative and commercial centre for the region. One account claims the city gained its name from the land’s original village chief, Jubé, whose people were relocated to make space for modern-day Juba. Between the early 20th century and Sudan’s independence in 1956, Juba was under British rule and home to north and south Sudanese as well as Greeks, Armenians and Lebanese. The mid-20th century brought about two devastating civil wars between Juba and Sudan’s central government in Khartoum. The violence came to an end in 2005 and was followed by the independence of South Sudan in 2011, making Juba the newest capital in the world.
Juba in sound and vision
Hip-hop artist Asif dedicates one of his songs to Juba’s bustling hub, Konyo Konyo market, where people can buy vegetables, fruits, spices, clothes and household items. But the market has a much darker side: it’s notorious for child exploitation, child labour and prostitution.
What’s everyone talking about?
Malnutrition and chronic hunger are a common reality in the capital city of a country where some 4.9 million civilians are food insecure. Begging is common on the streets and children are often visibly malnourished.
Father of four Remijo Patrick, 30, said he does not know how to explain to his children why there is no food in the house: “We don’t eat in the mornings or the nights, it’s difficult for me to explain.”
“The food security and nutrition situation has further deteriorated since September 2016. Most of the basic commodities are imported into South Sudan and therefore the exchange rate changes signify a change in prices and purchasing power,” explained Luma.
According to World Vision’s Juba urban analysis and overview report, some of the city’s households help each other by creating community groups to identify and carry out purchases from markets that sell items at lower prices.
What’s next for the city?
There’s a chance that Juba may lose its prestigious status as capital of South Sudan, as talks of relocating the country’s hub 130 miles north to Ramciel persist.
Critics say that the costly venture is ludicrous and the transitional government should first focus on fixing other pressing issues – including supplying Juba residents with basic services like electricity, tarmac roads and clinics.
“After a war … when citizens are dying of hunger … how dare the government talk about moving the capital?” asked a Juba resident who asked to remain anonymous.
The idea was first mentioned in 2011, soon after the south gained its independence, but the culmination of the project is not due to take place until 2019. There are many skeptics.
Few newspapers reach rural areas in South Sudan and literacy rates are low, making radio the most widely used source of information. UN-founded Radio Miraya is based in Juba and has the widest reach of any FM radio in the country with regular news bulletins in English and Arabic.