The High-Level Ad Hoc Committee organizing the state burial of General Joseph Lagu has outlined three key stages of the funeral arrangements. According to the committee's spokesperson, Ambassador John Andruga, the stages will involve a series of events to honor the late general. The committee is working closely with the Office of the President to finalize the arrangements, with an official date to be announced soon. General Lagu was a prominent liberation figure and statesman in South Sudan.
The first stage of the burial will involve the lying-in-state of General Lagu's body, which will be attended by President Salva Kiir, senior government officials, and other dignitaries. The ceremony will begin in the morning and continue throughout the night until dawn the following day. The body will be brought from the funeral home for the state viewing, allowing the public to pay their respects. This event is expected to draw a large crowd of mourners and dignitaries.
On the second day, General Lagu's body will be taken to his family residence in Hai Tijaria residential area, where members of the Madi community, friends, and relatives will have an opportunity to pay their last respects throughout the night. This event will provide a chance for those close to the late general to bid farewell. Ambassador Andruga urged members of the public to remain calm and wait for official communication about the arrangements.
The third stage of the burial will begin early in the morning with the transportation of General Lagu's body to All Saints Cathedral in Juba for prayers. President Kiir and senior government officials will attend the church service, which will be followed by the burial ceremony at the Dr. John Garang Mausoleum. As part of the burial honors, General Lagu will be accorded a 12-gun military salute.
Ambassador Agok Anyar, former spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, revealed that the ministry will send invitations to regional and international leaders to attend the state burial. This ceremony is expected to be a significant event, marking the first state burial of its kind since South Sudan gained independence in 2011. General Lagu's legacy as a liberation figure and statesman will be honored during the ceremony.
General Joseph Lagu Yanga was born on 21 November 1931 and died on 27 October 2026. He led the Anya-Nya resistance movement between 1963 and 1972 and later served as President of the High Executive Council in 1978. The planned ceremony will bring together dignitaries and mourners to pay their respects to the late general. According to Madi tradition, final funeral prayers will be conducted four days after the burial.
The state burial of General Joseph Lagu is expected to be a grand ceremony, with President Salva Kiir and other dignitaries in attendance. The committee has urged mourners to leave the venue peacefully after the burial, with no speeches planned for the event. The ceremony will mark a significant moment in South Sudan's history, honoring the legacy of a prominent liberation figure and statesman.
Key points
- General Lagu will be accorded a 12-gun military salute as part of the burial honors.
- The state burial ceremony will be attended by President Salva Kiir and senior government officials.
- The ceremony is expected to be the first state burial of its kind since South Sudan gained independence in 2011.
