Reconstruction of government-run radio facilities in Malakal is expected to reach building-handover stage by September, advancing efforts to restore state broadcasting after services were disrupted during the conflict that began in 2013.
Radio Tamazuj reported that the project is being implemented by UNESCO in partnership with the Government of South Sudan and with funding from the Japan International Cooperation Agency. The engineer overseeing the project said the contractor expected to complete the rehabilitation and hand over the facilities by September despite logistical challenges moving construction materials to Malakal.
Broadcasting is expected later than the building handover
The September target refers to completion and handover of the building, not the immediate return of broadcasting.
Upper Nile State Information Minister Peter Ngwojo Akwiny later told Eye Radio that installation of broadcasting equipment would follow the handover and that the station could return to air by November.
That distinction is important because physical reconstruction is only one stage of restoring a functioning public broadcaster.
Radio remains critical public infrastructure
Radio remains one of the most accessible ways to reach communities in South Sudan, particularly where internet access, electricity and smartphone use are uneven.
An operational station in Malakal could support public-service announcements, health information, emergency communication, civic education and local-language programming across Upper Nile.
State officials have said the station is expected to broadcast in English, Arabic and five local languages — Shilluk, Dinka, Nuer, Maban and Koma — and that the government plans to extend coverage to all 13 counties through repeaters.
Two milestones to distinguish
September: targeted completion and handover of the reconstructed building.
November: stated target for broadcasting to resume after equipment installation.
Election-year broadcasting raises an editorial test
The planned return of the station comes ahead of South Sudan’s scheduled December 2026 elections, when access to voter information and civic education will become increasingly important.
For a government-owned broadcaster, the test will not only be whether the transmitter works. Public confidence will also depend on whether programming provides useful information, serves communities in multiple languages and handles political coverage fairly during an election period.
What South Sudan Press is watching
- Whether the building is handed over on schedule in September.
- When broadcasting equipment is installed and tested.
- Whether the station returns to air by the stated November target.
- The geographic reach of planned repeater coverage.
- The balance of languages and public-interest programming.
- Editorial safeguards during the election period.