Thunder Strike Knocks Iyete FM Off Air for Over a Month

(MOROBO COUNTY, CES) – Iyete FM 88.7, a community radio station in South Sudan’s Morobo County, has remained off air for more than a month after a lightning strike damaged its solar power inverter system.

Station Manager Draga Elinoma told Access Radio in a phone interview on Monday evening that the lightning strike damaged the station’s power system on 12 September 2026, bringing broadcasts to a halt.

He said the prolonged shutdown has left residents without a reliable source of local information, forcing many to depend on radio stations broadcasting from Yei, neighboring Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Elinoma appealed to the government and development partners to urgently support the station with an inverter to enable it to resume broadcasting.

“The radio was struck by thunder and it is now one month and weeks. The area is left without access to information and the community has been asking for the radio to be on air, but because of financial challenges, the station cannot afford to repair the inverter. We call on partners and the government to extend support and rescue us with an inverter,” he said.

The appeal comes as South Sudan prepares for elections expected in December 2026, increasing the importance of access to timely and accurate public information.

Morobo County Caretaker Commissioner Moro Isaac Johnson visited the station on Monday to assess the challenges affecting its operations.

Commissioner Moro underscored the importance of local media in providing accurate and timely information to communities.

“Media is the medium of information that benefits the whole society,” he said, acknowledging Iyete FM’s contribution to disseminating community and governance information.

He also urged development partners to prioritise community needs and support efforts to restore the station.

“Development partners must consider community priorities in serving the community needs,” Moro said.

Iyete FM was established by the Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO), a South Sudanese civil society organisation, to provide community information and broadcast programmes promoting public awareness, governance and community development.