Friday declared public holiday for General Lagu’s burial

The organising committee for the state burial of the late General Joseph Lagu Yanga has declared Friday a public holiday in his honour, although the Ministry of Labour is yet to officially confirm the announcement.

The committee’s spokesperson, John Andruga Duku, made the announcement during a briefing on the funeral arrangements.

He said there would be no work on Friday to allow members of the public, civil servants, UN agencies and international organisations to attend or follow the burial proceedings.

The committee described Friday as a special day for the people of South Sudan as the remains of the late General Lagu Yanga are laid to rest.

According to the funeral programme, the body will be moved from the family residence to the church at 6:00 a.m. for a church service.

After the service, the remains will be taken to the burial ground for the final burial ceremony.

Members of the public have been invited to attend both the church service and the burial. Those planning to attend the burial have been advised to arrive early to allow time for security screening.

The committee also said public viewing screens would be installed to allow people who cannot attend the ceremony to follow the proceedings from their homes.

Media organisations wishing to cover the state burial have been asked to coordinate with the organising committee to obtain access to the venue.

The director of television, who chairs the information subcommittee, will coordinate media arrangements in collaboration with the South Sudan Media Authority to facilitate access for accredited journalists.

However, the declaration of Friday as a public holiday is still awaiting official confirmation from the Ministry of Labour.