Veteran South Sudanese journalist Michael Koma dies aged 50

JUBA – Veteran South Sudanese journalist Michael Koma has died at the age of 50 from complications related to low blood sugar, his family said on Monday.

Koma, a former secretary of the Union of Journalists of South Sudan (UJOSS) and an editor at several leading publications, was remembered by colleagues as a courageous and influential figure in the country’s media landscape.

A family member said Koma had been hospitalized for two days before his death.

In a condolence message, Chuol Jany, Chairperson of the National Editors’ Forum, described Koma as “a pillar of the media industry whose contributions will never be forgotten.”

“His passing is a profound loss not only to his family and friends-but to the entire media fraternity and the nation at large. We honor his legacy, his courage, and the high standard he set for generations of journalists who will follow in his footsteps,” Jany noted.

Aya Irene, Director of the Association for Media Development in South Sudan, remembered Koma as “a courageous and fearless journalist.”

“Koma will be remembered for his courage in journalism. He was a fearless practitioner. As an editor, his headlines were never soft. If you love to be soft, you are never his kind of reporter,” she said.

During his decades-long career, Koma served as an editor for publications including the Juba Monitor, The Witness, Juba Post, and The Dawn.

At the Juba Monitor, his opinion column, “Undiplomatic Chat,” often drew scrutiny from authorities before he was instructed to discontinue it.