South Sudan makes Friday a public holiday for Lagu's state funeral
Civil servants and staff of international organisations get the day off, and the burial begins with a 6 a.m. requiem at All Saints Cathedral in Juba.
South Sudan has declared Friday, November 13, 2026, a public holiday so citizens can attend the state funeral of veteran liberation leader General Joseph Lagu Yanga. The State Funeral High-Level Committee says there will be no work that day, including for civil servants and employees of international organisations.
Committee spokesperson Ambassador John Andruga Duku said people may attend the church service and burial, or follow the proceedings from home. The requiem starts at 6 a.m. at All Saints Cathedral of the Episcopal Church of South Sudan in Mobil, Juba, before the remains go to the burial site east of the Pope Francis Pavilion at the Dr. John Garang Mausoleum. Attendees must arrive early for strict security screening.
President Salva Kiir Mayardit opened public viewing of Lagu's body at the national parliament in Juba on Wednesday. Lagu, who led the Anyanya movement and negotiated the 1972 Addis Ababa Agreement, died in Juba on October 27, 2026, aged 94. The holiday declaration still awaits official confirmation from the Ministry of Labour.