After a protracted struggle with severe health
complications, the chairperson of the Mingkaman IDP camp has passed away.
On Wednesday, Marol Garang Deng Khoch, also known as
Maroldit, died in Mingkaman, leaving behind a bereaved family and
community.
Maroldit's health was reportedly considerably affected by a
combination of severe jaundice and kidney problems.
According to a family member, these conditions were
discovered during a medical examination in Australia in 2023.
His health continued to decline despite his endeavors to
obtain treatment.
The 65-year-old's first received preliminary care at the Nile King
Clinic in Juba.
However, doctors referred him to Nairobi, Kenya, for
specialized treatment when his condition deteriorated.
Despite the best efforts of medical professionals, his
condition remained critical and showed no significant improvement.
Maroldit spent his final days surrounded by his family and
loved ones at his home in the Mingkaman IDP camp.
It was there, surrounded by the community that he had led
with dedication and compassion, that he passed away.
Maroldit's death has left a void in the Mingkaman IDP camp,
where he had earned respect for his leadership and tireless efforts to improve
the lives of displaced people in the area.
“We have lost a great man; our community at large has lost a
humble person. Maroldit was a leader with integrity and humanity; he served his
people with a clean heart,” Deng Garang Deng, a family member, told Mingkaman
FM on Thursday.
For his part, Sultan John Chol Yak says the late Maroldit’s
legacy of resilience and leadership in the face of adversity will continue to
inspire those who know him.
“He was a wonderful person we worked with in the IDP camp
here and back home. We are going to miss him. I would love to tell our people
here to pray for his soul,” Yak said.
Maroldit has left behind a family of five wives and 18
children.
The IDP camp in Mingkaman is mostly made up of people from Twic East County in Jonglei State. The community has been in the area since it fled flooding years ago.