A close
family member has confirmed the death of the former Governor of Jonglei State, Maker
Thiong Maal, at late 70s.
Maker had
been battling hypertension and diabetes before he passed away this morning at
Gudele Hospital, according to Dr. Mach Majier Ghai.
“This morning
at 1am was when motile organs failed, and this is what led to cardiac arrest,
and he later passed on. That is the medical record about his passing,” he told
reporters at a press conference attended by state senior leaders headed up by the
governor and members of parliament.
For his part,
Gordon Angok Kuol, chairman of Bor Community, described the late as a hero and
asked the community to carry on his legacy.
"I want
to tell pan-Bor that the passing of Hon. Maker Thiong should not take us by
surprise,” he stated.
“We should
take heart and carry on his legacy as a community. As part of his burial plans,
the family has agreed that the late Maker will be buried at Wermel in Anyidi Payam
of Bor County as a means to encourage resettlement in the village.”
The late Governor
Thiong was elected in 2010 to the national parliament, representing Bor County.
Nine years
later, he was appointed governor of Jonglei State during the 32 states and
served for months as a governor.
In addition, Maker
held the position of director of education at the Kakuma Refugee Camp in Northern
Kenya in the 1990s.