Wau Prison Inmates Left Without Food Amid Government Delays

Over one thousand inmates at Wau Central Prison in South Sudan were forced to endure a full day without any food, highlighting a deepening crisis within the country’s correctional system. The incident, which took place on Friday, 4 April 2025, raises grave concerns about prisoner welfare as state support continues to fall short.

Major General Andrea Masharanga Marial, the Director of Wau Central Prison, confirmed in an interview with Voice of Hope Radio that 1,023 inmates were left without a single meal. Even basic morning tea was not served. Unless emergency assistance is provided, many prisoners are expected to face another day and night without food.

The senior prison official revealed that the food shortage stems from unpaid government contracts. The contractor responsible for food provision has reportedly not received payment from the national government for the past six months. Without funds, the contractor has been unable to deliver supplies to the prison.

Major General Masharanga made an emotional plea to humanitarian groups, faith-based organisations, community associations, and families of inmates to urgently step in with food donations. He warned that the health and survival of inmates are now at immediate risk and stressed that the prison remains open to all forms of assistance.

The following table provides an overview of the reported figures from Wau Central Prison:

Wau Central is not the only facility affected by the lack of government funding. Similar reports of hunger and deteriorating conditions have emerged from prisons across other South Sudanese states. The cumulative impact of financial delays, administrative bottlenecks, and growing economic strain is severely undermining the ability of correctional centres to provide even the most basic care.

Although the South Sudanese government has not officially commented on the food crisis in prisons, the lack of budgetary allocation and poor contractor payment systems are widely acknowledged issues across multiple sectors. The prison system, however, remains particularly vulnerable due to the absence of alternative resources and the limited voice of those confined.