President George W. Bush meets with the National Endowment for Democracy award recipients in the Oval Office Tuesday, June 27, 2006. From left, they are Alfred Taban of Sudan (South Sudan), Dr. Reginald Matchaba-Hove of Zimbabwe, Immaculee Birhaheka of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Zainab Hawa Bangura of Sierra Leone. White House photo by Kimberlee Hewitt

The body of the veteran South Sudanese Journalist and politician, Alfred Taban is expected to be flown to Juba on Thursday.

Late Alfred Taban was the founder and former editor-in-chief of Khartoum Monitor, the 1st independent English-Language Newspaper in Sudan.

He won among others, UK’s prestigious House of Commons Press Gallery Speaker Abbot Award for his “bravery in the face of personal risk including torture, and for his commitment to bring to the wider world the horrors of Darfur”.

In 2006, Taban was one of three recipients to be presented with the National Endowment for Democracy award by US President George W. Bush.

He was a member of parliament representing Kajo-Keji County and also the head of Information and Communications for the National Dialogue.

Taban passed on at a hospital in Kampala, Uganda, on Saturday.

Speaking to Eye Radio, the chairperson of Information at the Transitional National Legislative Assembly said all arrangements have been made to transport the remains of late Alfred Taban back to the country.

“On Friday the 3rd there is going to be a requiem service at All Saints Cathedral of the Episcopal Church of South Sudan in Mobil and thereafter to the Transitional national Legislative Assembly where the honorable members will pay their last respect and on Saturday the 4th of May 2019,” Hon. Paul Yoane said.

Taban’s body will be later flown to his home area Kajo-Keji on Saturday for burial.

Meanwhile, members of the media fraternity have postponed -to a later date -the celebrations of the press freedom day, to allow the public mourn the passing of the veteran journalist.